Photo by Jessica Maloney,
UNH Human Resources

Scott Chesney is a great many things, but the one thing he most definitely is not is a purveyor of false sentiment. As Scott states, "I am attracted to people who say what they believe and believe what they say." While many leaders might feel comfortable encouraging loyalty and commitment to an organization to the exclusion of all else, Scott encourages his staff to identify themselves beyond their title or classification within the university. His own lifestyle is a testament to his long-standing belief that it is necessary to develop many dimensions of one's life, and that these need not be forsaken to achieve professional success. As Scott states, "My hobbies and interests go toward defining who I am much more than my job does. It has been an important quest of mine to add talents and depth to my life as I have grown. To me there is nothing more boring than a workaholic who really has nothing more than the job. So while I certainly proudly identify myself as a student affairs professional at UNH, I also see myself as a songwriter, guitar player, piano player, husband, dad, magician, golf fanatic, landscape painter, Presidential historian, and lover of computer golf games. In fact, I have been part of developing a computer golf game in the past that became quite popular in the PC sports world."

Scott's approach to leadership involves encouraging those he works with to similarly develop their own creative leanings, and pursue new challenges; "I do believe you can do anything that's physically within your capabilities." He creates an environment that supports risk-taking; "I approach it like a family. You build a safety net so that you may weather confrontations and reward those who challenge the organization's ways."

Since his arrival at the university 23 years ago, Scott's forthright approach has helped transform residential life. His focus has been on personal interaction between the hall directors and the students. Scott's expectations are that, rather than waiting to respond to crises, hall directors will actively engage students and will personally meet with every incoming student. Scott has also been instrumental in the institution of a student survey (with a 95% return rate) that provides feedback on perceptions of performance for RAs and hall directors, thereby supporting the department's focus on accountability.

When asked who at UNH has had an impact on him, Scott replied "Without question, Dave Cross (Director of the Counseling Center) has had the most important influence on me. I consider him to be my best friend. He mixes compassion with a willingness to pass judgment on university decisions in a balanced way that I have learned a lot from watching. I consider him to be the university's most valuable resource."

Of the university in general, Scott states, "I think we have good, healthy and committed people working here. I love the camaraderie. The students present a good and positive challenge. UNH is about good intentions and good vision. I like being a part of that."