Shannon Schenck’s first memory of Normandale is as a child, tagging along to class with her mom. “I remember sitting quietly while she learned,” Schenck recalls. “The professor smiled at me, the students smiled at me, and I just sat there drawing pictures while my mom took notes.”
Both of Schenck’s parents graduated from Normandale. When it came time for her to decide on college, the choice felt natural. She enrolled, saving money by living at home, and like many students, balancing life, family, and academics wasn’t easy.
“I was really hard on myself,” she admits. “I did well in some classes, but struggled in others. I told myself I wasn’t smart enough to go on to a bachelor’s degree. It took me five years to finish because of a family emergency and taking time off. I really believed I wasn’t cut out for more school.”
But a chance encounter with a counselor in Normandale’s Career Center shifted her outlook. While exploring her options after graduation, a counselor encouraged her to pursue something she was passionate about. That nudge gave Schenck the confidence to study creative writing at St. Cloud State, where she thrived, graduating summa cum laude.
“That one conversation changed everything,” she says. “The counselor listened to me, really heard me, and gave me permission to follow the thing I wanted most. That moment has stayed with me all these years.”
It also inspired her career path. Schenck went on to earn multiple master’s degrees, including one in psychotherapy and counseling, and built a career working in higher education, corporate behavioral health, and eventually back in community colleges. After interning at Normandale years earlier, she returned as a licensed counselor: a full-circle moment that felt right.
Today, Schenck meets with students who are facing many of the same doubts she once had. She sees her role not as a distant expert, but as a human being sitting alongside another human being. “I’ve always been that person people feel safe talking to,” she says. “My counseling style is warm and empathetic, and yes, I use humor when it fits. Students often come in nervous, but laughter helps. My goal is to normalize the human experience and remind students they’re not alone.”
She emphasizes that counseling at Normandale is a supportive conversation, not a clinical diagnosis. “There’s no pressure. Students can try it once, and if it doesn’t feel right, that’s okay. The most important part of counseling is the relationship. Feeling comfortable and heard is what makes growth possible.”
Schenck also sees a big shift in today’s students compared to when she was enrolled. “When I was a student, we didn’t talk about mental health much, it carried stigma. Now, students are more open. They want to talk about their experiences, and they’re not afraid to say they’ve gotten help. I admire their courage.”
With Normandale’s expanded mental health offerings including on-campus counselors and licensed psychology services, Mantra Health for 24/7 support, and eCare, students have more options than ever before. Schenck is especially proud of Normandale’s commitment to addressing basic needs like food insecurity, which she sees as essential to overall well-being.
Looking back at her own path, once unsure, now a counselor guiding others, Schenck reflects on how everything connected. “I used to think I was undecided. But really, I was just curious about many things. I’ve ended up studying and working in almost all the fields I was once torn between. That helps me relate to students who feel stuck, because I know what it’s like to stand in their shoes.”
Her message to students is simple: “Give it a try. Counseling at Normandale is built around kindness and care. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just need to start the conversation.”
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