Tashanna Stanciel

Tashanna Stanciel joined the College Prep Program February 2023 as the Director. She will provide leadership, vision, and overall supervision of the program. As the program’s senior leader, Tashanna is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and relationship building and management with both internal and external partners. Tashanna will conduct long-term strategic planning as she focuses on the operational success of the program.

Tashanna is a first-generation college student and has held various leadership positions in higher education and nonprofit administration for over 16 years. Tashanna, a first-generation college student, devotes her career to serving, advising, and mentoring young people. She supports them from high school to career and connects them with resources to help them achieve their personal, professional, and career goals. Tashanna is known for her passion and commitment to student success, equity, and community collaboration. Tashanna started her career in 2006 as a financial aid and scholarship counselor at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO where she assisted students fund their college education as well as managed all Missouri Department of Higher Education financial assistance programs. She also educated students and their families on financial aid eligibility, options, and processes.

As Morehead State University’s Senior Enrollment Services Counselor for Diversity from 2008-2014, she aligned the annual minority student recruitment strategic marketing plan with MSU’s enrollment goals. Additionally, she organized and facilitated innovative student recruitment and community outreach initiatives to diverse student populations including “Diversity Day” and “Evening with the Eagles”. In her role as Executive Program Director of Alumni Mentoring at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri (BBBSEMO) for 8 and a half years, she cultivated and maintained key education and employment relationships to advance BBBSEMO’s reach and impact (including her alma mater-Southeast Missouri State University). As a Staff of Color Representative(SOC Rep.), she played an integral role in developing “Three Best Hopes”-a living document outlining Staff of Color recommendations for advancing the agency’s anti-bias anti-racist (ABAR) practices, policies, and procedures. With Staff of Color leadership, hard work, and dedication, “Three Best Hopes” was officially added to the agency’s core documents.

Tashanna tirelessly built relationships, trust, and rapport with high school personnel, workforce development program staff, higher education administrators, parents, youth, community organizations, and community leaders. Her accomplishments include being honored as Southeast Missouri State University’s inaugural Community Partner of the Year at the 35th annual St. Louis American Salute to Excellence in Education and a graduate of the Morehead State University President’s Leadership Academy (Class of 2014). She is proud to be honored as a Nine Network of Public Media American Graduate Champion (2016) and a Focus St. Louis Emerging Leaders Alum (Fall 2018). She serves as the Vice President of the Board for Brownpreneurs and chairs the Community Outreach Committee.

Raised in St. Louis, Tashanna holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in corrections, and a minor in developmental psychology from Southeast Missouri State University. She earned a Master of Science in Public Administration and Policy Analysis with an emphasis in nonprofit administration from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.