by Leah Jackson
Sharon Leone has joined the staff at Northwestern State University and will serve as development coordinator for the Office of University Advancement. Leone will assist with donor relations, facilitating key tasks and procedures for the entire office of Development and will help with announcements and events in the department.
“The current goals I have for working in Development are to increase professional knowledge of my position, have new and challenging experiences and focus on how I can help make a difference in our department,” Leone said.
Leone earned a bachelor’s degree in home economics with an emphasis in fashion merchandising and a minor in business administration at NSU in 1989. She returned to NSU in 1994 to earn teacher certification through the alternate certification program and is certified to teach PreK 3 through fourth grade.
Leone’s work experience began in various food service and retail jobs in high school and college when she was assistant manager at Shoe Town and owned and operated Merle Norman Cosmetics from 1989-94. After earning teaching certification, her career in education spanned over 27 years. She taught kindergarten at Colfax Elementary, Verda Elementary and Weaver Elementary before joining the faculty at St. Mary’s. There, she taught 6-8th grade reading and English before returning to the kindergarten classroom and PreK 3-4.
“I loved my students, dear teaching friends, and teaching career, but felt it was time to take on a new challenge as development coordinator at NSU,” Leone said. “I feel as if I have come full circle returning to Northwestern.”
Leone has been a Natchitoches resident for 32 years. She has been married to Kirk Leone for over 31 years. Their children are and Leslie, Kirk Jr. and Micheal and wife Lainy. She is a member of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with family.
“I am so excited for the opportunity to work at Northwestern State University and grow professionally,” she said. “Beginning a new career can be stressful and scary, but my new coworkers are amazing and made me feel right at home, a home that I loved during my college years and was happy to return to. Home is defined as a place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family. I have returned to my NSU family.”
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