For most students attending college, finding a place to belong takes courage and learning how to develop confidence when starting a new journey. At Salem, learning how to navigate challenges and finding a voice is what Salem’s mission is all about. Especially when leaders like Ashlynn King join the student affairs campus team.

Ashlynn is Salem’s director of student engagement and through her own experiences as a college student and working with many diverse students during her career in student life, she is a guiding example of how to embrace opportunities and allow them to positively shape a clear set of values and a rewarding future in leadership.

From growing up in a small North Carolina town to finding her voice at an HBCU, Ashlynn’s experiences have taught her how to be brave in adversity and lean into the joy of finding yourself. These experiences have led Ashlynn to some very special places, including Salem, which have helped to shape who she is as a person, as a communicator, and as a leader.

“After graduating high school, I decided to attend North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a historically Black university, to find a place where I felt like I belonged,” Ashlynn said. While there, I pursued my Broadway dream in music, and I learned very quickly how getting involved in campus life and the community would transform my life. I volunteered at the YMCA, with Girl Scouts of America, was a vocalist in the university choir and operatorio ensembles, performed in shows with the theater department, and worked with the campus newspaper,” she said.

While thriving on campus at NCCU and now working towards two degrees, one in music and the other in mass communication, Ashlynn discovered just how important plugging into the campus community is for student engagement, building relationships, and learning how to be an effective leader. Ashlynn’s own campus life experiences would lead her to a passionate career in education and student life using what she’s learned to help students find their voice on a college campus.

After completing her Master of Education in educational leadership, she’s successfully worked in positions that allowed her to be a guide and a mentor in students’ lives. She also prides herself on cultivating the type of atmosphere students want to see on campus, helping them to make the best of their college experience. Her love for education and student engagement has led her to work on a doctorate degree, as she is currently completing her doctorate in educational management and looks forward to completing the program.

Now at Salem College, Ashlynn is leaving her mark by leading by example and helping students find their sense of purpose and belonging in the world.

“I’ve learned so many valuable things that I wanted to carry on in my journey as a leader in student engagement,” Ashlynn said. Being super organized and detailed, understanding what it means to be committed, working as a team player, finding the balance of it all, and understanding how to own your work demonstrates integrity, an essential leadership characteristic,” she added.

Now at Salem College, Ashlynn is focused on her relationships with student leaders and is on a mission to help build the next generation of well-rounded leaders.

“Our students here at Salem remind me of when I was a student and how I wanted to be super involved and continue to advocate for others,” Ashlynn recalled. I love that our students ask questions and are curious about the world around them,” she added.

When you ask Ashlynn what makes Salem remarkable, she believes Salem’s students, faculty, and staff are very special in a way that fosters meaningful relationships and embodies personal connections.

“I cannot share enough of my gratitude for the warmness every student, faculty, and staff member has shown me at Salem,” Ashlynn said. I feel supportive and I feel like I belong here. I know that I am here to make a strong impact with our students and that brings me a great deal of joy.”