Shelly McDaniel Appointed New Director of the Thrive Center

July 15, 2020
Shelly R. McDaniel has been appointed the new director of the Thrive Center at Trinity International University. After working in corporate for more than 15 years, Shelly joined Trinity in August 2015, as she had dreamt of working and teaching in higher education for many years. At first, she was employed in the Human Resources Department as Trinity's Benefits and HRIS Account Manager. In the summer of 2019, she transitioned to the Advancement team as the director of planned giving, where she worked closely with Trinity's donors. In addition, since fall 2017, Shelly has been teaching in the classroom as an adjunct in Trinity's Business department. The Thrive Center provides academic support, career development, and academic guidance to Trinity's students, to help them grow and succeed during their time here. Within the Thrive Center’s overarching mission, all students will have access a variety of services: Shelly holds a Bachelor in Science in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago; Master's of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance at Benedictine University; and Master's of Legal Studies with a Concentration in Criminal Justice from Trinity Law School. She plans to start the Juris Doctorate program at Trinity Law School in spring 2021. Shelly grew up in a small town, on a farm, in Mississippi. "My favorite things to do is not only teach and mentor students, but shopping in antique stores and reading mystery novels," she said. Shelly also enjoys boxing and bike riding with her two boys and husband. She is a member of the Delta Psi Epsilon Christian Sorority, and active in her home church—Willow Creek NorthShore—where she enjoys volunteering to serve the needy, human rights, and missionary initiatives.