Welcome back to Beloit College: Steven McAfee ’16, new SEAL director

Steven McAfee ’16 is an experienced advocate committed to the process of creating student leaders and campus community. As an undergraduate, Steven was a member of SEL, the men’s basketball team, BSU, and Voces (now Latinx Voices). After graduation, he continued to contribute to Beloit College as a Program Coordinator for Upward Bound and as assistant coach of the Beloit women’s basketball team.

New SEAL Director Steven McAfee

Steven McAfee ’16, the new SEAL (Student Engagement and Leadership) Director, is committed to increasing communication and awareness about engagement opportunities. A literary studies major whose favorites include Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man and Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, McAfee is an advocate for making the unseen visible.

“I’ve learned that if people can’t see it, it’s not real to them. I’m here to change that,” says McAfee.

McAfee credits his time at Beloit with helping him to develop key skills and move beyond his own invisibility. He was a member of Student Excellence & Leadership (SEL), men’s basketball, Black Student Union, and Voces (now Latinx Voices). He attributes his personal and professional growth to the SEL program and Dean of Students Emeritus Cecil Youngblood, his campus mentor, who encouraged him to do things on campus. McAfee used his newfound visibility as an Upward Bound mentor – leading by example, being vocal – to bring students out of their shells.

Steven receiving his diploma. After graduation, Steven took on leadership roles as Program Coordinator for SEL and assistant coach for women’s basketball. He most recently served as the Educational Advisor for TRIO Upward Bound at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, further experience that speaks to his passion for fostering programs and initiatives that engage students and help them be career-ready. “I give students tools, the tools that I hadn’t known I needed.”

Steven decided on a literary studies major because he wanted to observe people and history, to know them, and to predict the future. As SEAL Director, he is excited about his future chapters on campus and in the City of Beloit, collaborating with students, faculty, and campus partners to create inclusive and innovative opportunities that combine individual interests and make every student feel seen.

His message to parents: “Your child has something to do here, support opportunities, and tools to make those experiences their own. At the end of the day being involved shouldn’t feel overwhelming for students or staff. It should feel fun.”

Add fun to your next conversation with Steven by asking him about Kindred by Octavia Butler, his favorite book, all things Chicago: Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks and Sox.

Steven playing basketball in Japan.