To launch the new year, Long Beach State is welcoming a new Associated Students Inc. executive director, Miles Nevin, and a new chief of staff Neal Schnoor.
As ASI director, Nevin is responsible for tracking ASI’s budget, strategic planning and board development. For Schnoor, the position of chief of staff puts him at the forefront of helping President Jane Close Conoley and ensuring all departments achieve the university’s mission.
Before Nevin got his position as executive director, his goals for life were vastly different. When he was younger he fantasized about being a police officer, so in his search for colleges, he found CSULB and decided to major in criminology.
While pursuing his degree, Nevin got involved in student government, and he held several ASI positions in his time at CSULB, including public relations commissioner and secretary of academic affairs.
ASI became a big part of his identity in his time leading up to his graduation from CSULB. He received his bachelor’s degree in criminology, though his plans shifted from wanting to be a part of law enforcement.
“I no longer felt like going into law enforcement would be appropriate,” Nevin said. “The experience as a student leader sparked an interest in me, and that is the path I went down.”
Nevin decided to continue his studies by pursuing a doctorate in education. As an educator, he has worked as a high school administrator and eventually returned to CSULB to work in the Office of Student Life.
Nevin said he learned so much from being a part of ASI when he attended CSULB, and he is happy to have the opportunity to return and continue working with students.
“I want this organization to have a culture of assessment and evaluation,” Nevin said. “I want us to be thoughtful about what learning is taking place here and how we develop our students.”
Schnoor left his home after living in Nebraska for 50 years to work at CSULB. He said he was ready to transition to an education system he believed in, so he took a position nearly 1,400 miles away from his wife and family.
“I wanted to see something different. The interview process just drew me in and I loved the city and its energy,” Schnoor said. “I saw there was a focus on access, diversity, and an interest in providing greater access to students.”
While Schnoor has a background in education, it wasn’t always his life’s aspiration. As a child, he dreamed of being a drummer for a famous rock band. This interest in music led him to pursue jobs and positions for schools as a high school band director.
“Within about three weeks of teaching, my students showed me that music might be the vehicle for me,” Schnoor said. “I wasn’t just teaching music. I was teaching students.”
Schnoor quickly realized he had an affinity for teaching, despite trying to avoid it as a young adult. From there, he spent time at the University of Nebraska at Kearney as a tenured professor in the College of Fine Arts & Humanities and the College of Education.
Schnoor said he loved teaching students, but he loved teaching educators more and so it made sense for him to transition into higher education.
He later worked as the dean for the School of Education and Counseling at Wayne College in Nebraska and was the senior advisor to the chancellor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney before accepting his new position.
As an administrator, Schnoor is intrigued by economic stability, university planning for the BEACH 2030 campaign, and ultimately providing an educational experience for students.
“My goal has never changed,” Schnoor said. “It’s to provide transformational learning opportunities for students.”
Both educators said they have big plans for the fall and are happy to have the opportunity to benefit young minds and educators. They both feel it is essential that they become more integrated into the community at the university and learn about CSULB’s history to do the job right.