My name is Megan Burke and I am the Applied Learning Advisor at the State University of New York at Potsdam. My position allows me to help students find internship opportunities and study abroad programs. During my undergraduate career at Clarkson University, I majored in communications in Potsdam, NY. While there I worked for the admissions office as a student representative and assistant; the student success center as a proctor for students with accommodations; the financial aid office as a student worker; the student success center as a master peer educator to freshmen; and a volunteer for the international affairs office as their study abroad buddy manager.
Each of those positions allowed me to work with students, faculty, staff, and families of all backgrounds. In my current position I work with students who may be first generation, grew up in a small town or large city, may be part of the LGBTQ+ community, or may be underprivileged in their access to educational resources. I help all students use resources to find an internship in their desired career field and guide them in their journey to get there. My prior experiences have given me the opportunity to interact with multiple people and prepared me for the hundreds of students I work with each semester.
Advice I would have for someone wanting to follow in my foot steps is follow your passion. I didn’t know what my passion was, and it took me being in my current position for me to recognizing mine is teaching. Having made this realization, I decided to go back to graduate school for childhood education. Do what makes you happy and learn from your experiences. They will guide you to your future.
Each of those positions allowed me to work with students, faculty, staff, and families of all backgrounds. In my current position I work with students who may be first generation, grew up in a small town or large city, may be part of the LGBTQ+ community, or may be underprivileged in their access to educational resources. I help all students use resources to find an internship in their desired career field and guide them in their journey to get there. My prior experiences have given me the opportunity to interact with multiple people and prepared me for the hundreds of students I work with each semester.
Advice I would have for someone wanting to follow in my foot steps is follow your passion. I didn’t know what my passion was, and it took me being in my current position for me to recognizing mine is teaching. Having made this realization, I decided to go back to graduate school for childhood education. Do what makes you happy and learn from your experiences. They will guide you to your future.
