Nov. 17, 2009 issue
My husband and I relocated to Michigan 16
years ago for his job. After leaving my position as men's hall director
at Bowling Green State University, I was attracted to Eastern Michigan
University's size and climate. I joined EMU in a similar position, as
area complex director in Phelps-Sellers Hall. I loved interacting with
the students on a daily basis and seeing them grow and develop. I especially
enjoyed working with my staff and developing a strong team with 10 resident
assistants, an office manager and a graduate assistant.
Three years later, I took some time off to have my son and returned to
EMU as an admissions counselor. I had worked in admissions at a small
private college in Virginia, so it was fun to get back into the field.
In that role, I had a real passion for working with students in a positive
light and helping them learn how to get scholarships, live on campus,
and grow and develop. I could see the dream in their eyes of what a college
education could do for their lives. It was exciting to show them how they
could make that dream come alive.
Last year, I became assistant director of the McNair Scholars Program.
McNair is a federal grant-funded program that helps low-income,
first-generation and underrepresented undergraduate
students who have a desire to achieve a graduate degree.
An important component of the program is the summer research
project, where students are paired with a faculty mentor
for 10 weeks. This project provides them with the research
experience they need to compete with other students applying
to graduate programs.
My role is to support and coach the students in the McNair program, and
help them learn about graduate programs in their area of
interest. These students have inspired me and changed my
life. They are high-achieving, talented, exceptional students
who might never have thought a graduate degree was possible
for them. Many of them are up against difficult obstacles,
such as working full-time or having a family to care for,
but they still have tremendous drive and ambition. I'm
passionate about helping these students succeed, so I get
very excited when I see them get admitted into the graduate
program of their choice with full funding. They make me
want to work harder, serve more, dream more and experience
life more fully. — Contributed by Lisa Donovan
