“Well, my mom just made my name up,” said Ijuanzee Isom, a program specialist and the newest member of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs staff. In that position, Isom helps coordinate some multicultural programs including the multicultural-leadership speaker series and the life-skills program.
“I think it is an added plus to have a younger man to bring in to connect with the younger-generation population and give good fresh ideas with a different perspective,” said Beverly Walker, assistant director of multicultural student affairs.
She said Isom connected well with VCU students since joining the OMSA staff.
“With his personality, he is so willing to learn and willing to go above and beyond,” Walker said. “So because we are a small shop it is good having someone to go the extra mile.”
For Isom, the job as program specialist came as a surprise because he had not thought about obtaining such a job.
“I never had a dream job,” he said. “I just wanted to pay the bills.”
A native of Saginaw, Mich., Isom has lived in Virginia the past 20 years. His family moved to Louisa when he was about 7 years old.
After graduating from Louisa County High School, Isom earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology at VCU in 2001.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t doing any extracurricular activities because I worked full time. I would have participated in NAACP and SGA,” he said. “Since I started working at OMSA I learned a lot about student organizations.
“I can’t name one thing I don’t like (about this job) because everything is geared toward the mission of OMSA.”
Still, the VCU students keep Isom busy with his job.
“Really it’s the student contact that keeps everything interesting. They make it so the day doesn’t get dull,” he said.
One of those students, Alisha Ward, a junior African-American Studies major, works alongside Isom.
“He is great to work with, good nice guy and good sense of humor,” Ward said. “We have a few running jokes in the office – you aren’t going to get it.”
Walker said being a VCU alumnus is another positive factor about having him on the staff because knows his way around campus better than most people.
“Being a VCU graduate I guess I’m just a VCU guy through and through,” Isom said.