2008 Woodie Awards
They came, they graduated, they stayed
From student to alumni affairs director
Megan Jennings
Issue date: 11/9/06 Section: features
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Orginally from Wilkes-Barre, Michaels became interested in attending Bloomsburg University through her brother's girlfriend at the time. "I was really impressed by her, and figured the school she went to must be pretty cool too," she said. Although she applied to many other institutions and was accepted, it was Bloomsburg that became her choice.
In her undergraduate years, Michaels was very active in activities on-campus. She was a CA (then called RA), a student trustee on the board of trustees, a member of CGA, participated in intramural sports with her friends, and as a freshman she worked in the Scranton Commons helping the salad lady. "It wasn't a very attractive job, but I needed the money," she said with a laugh.
Michaels graduated in 1987 with her bachelor's degree in elementary education and in 1988 she received her master's degree in education with a specialization in reading and literacy. After finishing her bachelor's degree, she was graduate hall director in Lycoming Hall. "So basically I got my masters for free. Who wouldn't want to do that?" said Michaels. When she was finishing up her program, there were job openings for professionals in residence life. She got hired, and that was her first job with the university. She was a residence director, which now she says are called area coordinators. Her first assignment was Columbia Hall.
The campus itself has changed a lot since Michaels was a student here. She said when she started in '83, the school was still Bloomsburg State College. "In my freshman year, we became Bloomsburg University. That was pretty exciting," she said. The Student Service Center, used to be the library. McCormick was just getting finished and the Andruss Library didn't even exist when she was a student. There was nothing on upper campus either, but Michaels said when she was graduating, the Montgomery Place Apartments and Monty's opened.