The Office of Student Activities and Orientation (OSAO) has a few new faces joining the Lasell family over the summer, as Shawanna Watson was named Assistant Director of Student Activities, and Allison Turner was named Coordinator of Student Activities. Both joined as full-time faculty in June. Working alongside the Director of Student Activities, Amanda Knight, these two have been working to strengthen student engagement on campus.
A major project that is still underway is the renovation of the Laser Lounge on the second floor of the Arnow Campus Center, which is open Monday to Thursday 3 p.m.- 9 p.m.. This newly remodeled space is now equipped with couches, bean bags, TVs, games, snacks, and more, all free of charge for students.
Watson and Turner have goals to continue to make this space accessible and fun for students. “Our office is a place where students feel like they can build community and have a place that they can call home,” Turner said when asked about the Laser Lounge.
Watson, an alumna of the Class of 2024, majored in event management for her undergraduate degree and management for her graduate degree, both done here at Lasell, said that her transition from student to faculty has felt natural. “I’ve been settling in pretty well,” she said. “I’ve gotten to meet a lot of new students and reconnect with upperclassmen. I’m really focused on making those personal connections – learning who they are beyond their clubs or activities, because that’s how we can best support them.”
Watson oversees all orientation programs, including fall, winter, and summer sessions, while also helping to organize new campus events like Culture Collective Week, a celebration of different cultures through programming. “We want every student to see themselves represented and celebrated,” she said.
Turner, previously served as a resident director at Rivier University, has brought in their background in student leadership and organization management with them to run programs here at Lasell. “My biggest focus is helping our clubs and organizations be successful,” Turner explained. “We have about 70 active groups and nine student workers, and I love helping them bring their ideas to life.”
Reflecting on the new additions to the OSAO staff, Knight says, “I am super excited to have them both on staff. They bring really great perspectives and great ideas – they were two of my best hires.”
–Dec. 8, 2025–
