About the Adviser: Ashley Stone (Part 1 of 2)

I have been a member of Scarlet Guard since I joined in fall 2011 during my freshman year. Since, I have been a member of the Scarlet Guard Board of Directors for three years, a member of the SG Executive team for two, and have served as the 2014-2015 President since April of 2014. There are many advantages to being involved with such an outstanding organization, but one in particular is the daily inspiration that I get from working alongside Scarlet Guard Adviser, Ashley Stone.

Stone joined the Scarlet Guard team in 2013 as the graduate assistant adviser. While she finished her Master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, she worked alongside more than 1,400 Scarlet Guard members to enhance their college experience. In June of 2014, Scarlet Guard’s adviser of 5 years left her role at the Nebraska Alumni Association, and Ashley became the interim adviser of Scarlet Guard. I have had the incredible pleasure of getting to know Ashley over the past one and a half years, and have witnessed her passion for fostering leadership in others, commitment to providing students with the tools for success, and her genuine desire to provide support to the students in Scarlet Guard.

In spring of 2014, Ashley participated in a Scarlet Guard focus group with eight current and previous Scarlet Guard Board of Directors members and the past Scarlet Guard adviser.  Ashley led discussion about the future and longevity of Scarlet Guard while always considering what was best for the organization and its members. She took charge of the development of a new Board of Directors structure, modified programming, and a new mission statement for Scarlet Guard. 

Ashley’s true persistence and dedication to Scarlet Guard was undeniable in the months following the resignation of Scarlet Guard’s previous adviser. She took challenges head on, and entered her current position with numerous ideas about how to increase engagement and membership within Scarlet Guard. Some of the changes that Ashley has spearheaded is the implementation of the new Board of Directors structure, a rejuvenated focus on member recognition, providing leadership and networking training to the Board of Directors, and the restructure of Scarlet Guard’s professional development event, Backpacks and Briefcases.

While Ashley has made a great impact serving Scarlet Guard and the Nebraska Alumni Association, what truly makes her the best adviser is her unyielding service to the individuals within the organization. The past six months, I have been fortunate enough to witness Ashley foster leadership and success in countless Scarlet Guard members, including myself. Ashley’s compassion, selflessness, and faith in others have been the driving force behind Scarlet Guard’s success this year. She has supported the Board of Directors’ shift to a completely student-run board. Instead of acting as the leader of the organization, Ashley has instead put her faith in us, coached us, giving them the opportunity to take pride and ownership of their own leadership within Scarlet Guard.

I can never thank Ashley enough for the support and kindness she has showed me individually, and she will never know the breadth of my appreciation for the leadership values and life skills she has instilled in me. Stories of Ashley’s impact on students’ lives are not rare; she inspires all who she interacts with, and that is why she is the best adviser Scarlet Guard could possibly have.