For almost 24 years Tracy Rahim has impacted Winona State through her advising and leadership. Being the Associate Director of Student Activities & Leadership, Tracy has won multiple awards for her advising of many clubs.
“Tracy advises the Student Senate, Alliance of Student Organizations, The Winonan student newspaper, the Homecoming Planning Committee, the WSU Dance Team, and the Men’s Lacrosse Team. She coordinates student organization advisor and office training, manages the Student Involvement Calculator and organizes the Student Leadership & Involvement Awards. She represents the student activities program on a variety of university-level work groups including the Warrior Game Day Experience Committee,” Winona State University said.
Claire McGinn, a fourth-year majoring in elementary education with an emphasis in early childhood and who is also on the WSU Dance Team, talks about her experience with Tracy Rahim.
“[Tracy] has been an excellent person to have as our advisor. She has done a lot of background stuff that we could not imagine doing without her (like setting us up for nationals). Helping with kids’ clinic, getting scripts ready for games, helping before performances all of that,” McGinn said.
George Micalone, the Director of the Student Union & Activities, talks about being Rahim’s supervisor.
“Tracy is solid. She is super organized and really passionate about her work. She likes to engage the students really closely (particularly the ones she advises) and she brings a lot of history to the department,” Micalone stated.
Rahim, who went to college at Winona state before starting her career here, speaks about the changes that have occurred while she has been here.
“When I was a student, we used to have streets going through campus. Maxwell Hall used to be the library, Kirkland and Haake halls used to be parking lots and the [current] library used to be tennis courts. So physically, I have seen a lot of changes,” Rahim noted.
Rahim also commented that Winona State has gone through many cultural changes based on the current President.
McGinn said that she met with Rahim once a week and that if [Claire’s] week was bad, that Rahim would ask her if she could do anything to help, even if it was school wise.
“She always has a beautiful smile and tries to make people happy around her. I hope that she has good luck at her new job,” McGinn concluded.
Being a part of 10 organizations, Rahim talks about how she keeps track of all of them and can differentiate between them.
“Hopefully, it’s based on relationships that I have developed with students and the student leaders of each group,” Rahim said.
Rahim also commented on the differences of each group being a factor, speaking on talking about reporters for a newspaper vs choreography for the dance team being a helpful tool for keeping each organization separate.
Amanda Hess, a first-year student studying elementary education and also a dancer on the WSU Dance Team speaks about her interactions with Rahim.
“I am new to the team, so I didn’t know her as well as some other girls but I have always really liked her. She has had to sit in on some camps, and whenever we have done our dances and pull out she’s so cute and supportive,” Hess said.
Rahim talks about the change it will be for her to switch career paths, but her excitement for the new chapter.
“Going from a campus that is traditional aged and residential to a smaller campus that has commuter and a lot of nontraditional students, it’s going to be a huge change. I’m looking forward to a challenge with the different population,” Rahim stated.
Rahim continued, stating that she will be working on the Red Wing campus every week, travelling the highway 61 corridor, excited to impact student lives.
“This is the only place that I have ever worked and the only campus I have ever been to. So certainly, there is a level of comfort there but I am also going to miss the students,” Rahim stated.
Rahim commented that she hopes her stamp on Winona State is her homecoming events such as I Love WSU day and Warrior Game Day.
“The last couple of years she has done the I Love WSU day events which were really impactful post-COVID. Watching [Tracy] in her element is obviously really great. She has so much pride for this university,” Micalone commented.
