She is a confidant, teacher, adviser and a mentor. But most of all, Shena Nelson is a friend to the countless students she interacts with as she makes her daily rounds at Reynolds. As she moves through hallways of Reynolds, Nelson’s standard greeting is always a smile. But next month, Nelson will relinquish her role as Reynolds Student Resource Officer and move on to a new chapter in her life.

On January 29, Nelson will leave Reynolds and “be back on the streets” as she put it since she has recently been promoted to Corporal.

Nelson applied for the promotion in November and competed with nearly thirty other officers for the position. To prove that she had the skills necessary to perform the duties required of her, Nelson first had to go through a strenuous test called the modules assessment where she answered situational questions. After she passed that assessment she was then sent to a committee where she was deemed fit for the promotion.

Nelson has been Student Resource Officer at Reynolds since 2010.

“It’s just been a pleasure and an honor to serve the students of Reynolds as long as I did,” said Nelson. “I think I had so many memories of wonderful times that would overshadow anything that may have been bad.”

For some students her departure came as shocking and sad news. She has made many connections with the faculty and students at Reynolds in her five-year tenure.

Sophomore John Kearney said, “I always feel safe when Officer Nelson is around because I feel like she always makes the students a priority.”

Sophomore Colin Ogburn voiced a similar opinion.

“When she’s around I always have a sense of safety and security,” Ogburn said.

The promotion is not entirely good news for Nelson. She indicated that her time working at Reynolds was very important to her.

“I will really miss the staff and students here, (being an SRO) has been a big part of my life.”

Officer Nelson’s arrival as SRO in 2010 helped bridge the gaps between Reynolds students, city police, and the local community and she will she dearly missed by all of Reynolds.

Nelson embraced the major roles of teacher, counselor, and law enforcement officer and has consistently demonstrated her ability to reduce campus crime and provide a safer environment for students and staff alike.