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Just before spring break 2021, Grand View University will say goodbye to Kenlyn Gordon, the assistant director of leadership and counseling. She is leaving her position as a student counselor after six years to focus on running her own private practice, True Nature Therapy and Wellness. The name was derived from Gordon’s passion for nature and her belief that finding one’s true self in nature can be therapeutic. She has already been running True Nature for a couple of years in addition to her role at GV, and now she will run the private practice full-time.

Although her primary role at GV is to be a counselor for students, she is also an advisor to student leadership. She specifically advises Peer Counseling and the Student Leadership Team.

Helen Carey, a psychology and human services major, is a senior who works with Gordon on the peer counselors team. Carey echoed what must others do when discussing Gordon, that she seemed to really care about the small things. Gordon would make sure everything was going well with Carey in aspects of her life outside of their student-advisor relationship.

“She would always check in with me, and she truly felt engaged with me personally, and I know she does that with everybody,” Carey said. “She is just a very great soul.” 

Carey also described how Gordon went out of her way to develop personal relationships with everyone she dealt with.

“She just understands and gets people, no matter who it is. She adapts to them, and she makes people come out stronger and better,” Carey said. 

Kent Schornack, GV’s director of leadership and counseling, is Gordon’s boss. He described her as one of the most authentic and sincere people that he has ever known.

“I remember the first thing that stood out most about Kenlyn when I hired her — her heart,” Schornack said. “She just had a genuine heart that wanted to work with people and help them. You could tell she just really enjoyed others growing and becoming better.” 

The importance of those relationships is not lost on Gordon either. 

“I feel a really deep connection with Grand View and the people here,” she said. “Helping people grow in this time period in their life has been really meaningful to me. The times that made me feel the most proud of my work (were) when I (got) to watch students that I’ve been with for years heal and grow and get to a place where they feel healthy and happy. Those moments when you get to see someone progress, and I got to be along with them on that, I just feel so much joy and warmth inside.”

GV will certainly miss Gordon when she leaves, but the feeling is mutual. Gordon reminisced that some of the things she will miss about GV is the feeling of being supported and included in the school’s community. She also acknowledged that while her job has been to help students with therapy or advising them on their student leadership team, they have helped her grow just as much. 

Gordon also expressed that aside from helping students with counseling and advising student leadership, there is one relationship she will miss from GV that stands out.

“My colleague Kent has been a huge mentor to me and really helped me develop as a therapist, and also personally too in my own life,” she said.

Making a small difference matters. It is clear from those who know her best that Gordon has helped a lot of starfish at GV

The way those closest to her speak of Gordon is reminiscent of a tale called The Starfish Story. There are many variations of the story, but it typically goes something like this: One day a man was walking along a beach after a flood that had left thousands of starfish stranded on the shore. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was gently throwing the starfish back into the water. He asked they boy what he was doing. 

“I’m throwing the starfish back into the water before they die,” the boy said.

Bemused, the man began to mock the boy, “Can’t you see there are thousands of starfish? Do you really think saving a few of them will make a difference in the world?” 

The boy picked up another starfish and as he threw it back into the water he said, “It may not make a difference in the world, but it will make a world of difference to that fish.”

Making small differences matters. It is clear from those who know her best that Gordon has helped a lot of starfish at GV.