Some students come to The Bluff and find more than a school, but a career
By Melissa Nip
Stacy Boatright graduated from UP in 2005 on a Sunday, and became a UP staff member the next day.
Earlier that year, Boatright, an organizational communication major, was worried about finding a job after graduation.
"I wondered 'what can I do with my major?'" Boatright said. "I loved academia; I loved working with students and helping them to achieve their educational goals."
She was ecstatic when the late Dean of the School of Nursing, Terry Misener, offered her a position to work in the School of Nursing since she had been a student worker for three years.
Today she is the School of Nursing graduate program counselor and couldn't imagine a better career.
"I love this place," Boatright said. "Once you're a part of the community, you're always a part of it."
Boatright isn't the only UP alumnae that found a career at her alma mater. Although many UP alumni had different experiences as students at UP, they all have a sense of pilot pride and share a love for the Bluff in their own individual way.
Elisa Majors graduated in 2004 with a double major in English and Spanish. She worked off campus for a while but came back in 2007 and is now the School of Nursing program counselor.
"UP is 'home' for me," Majors said.
Bryce Majors graduated in 2004 as a secondary education major. He said that he knew UP was a perfect match for him because it had that intangible "it."
"Either you like it or you don't," Majors said. "I'm one of those students that liked it."
Bridget Brimrose graduated from UP in 2004 and Amy Harrington graduated from UP in 1995. Both work for the marketing and communication department and say that they have no intention of leaving UP anytime soon.
These UP alumni reminisce about their college days at UP fondly and with a smile on their face. Boatright loved her experience at UP as a student because of the great education and community.
"The moment you step on UP, it's such a supportive community," Boatright said. "The teaching is stellar, invigorating, willing to help and guide you."
She also built lasting friendships with people she met as a freshman with whom she still keeps in contact.
"I am still friends with people that I met the first day as a freshman," Boatright said. "And I made instant friends with the first person I met at River Run."
For Elisa Majors, one of the milestones of her UP experience was studying abroad in Salzburg, Austria and Grenada, Spain.
"The experience was wonderful, absolutely amazing," Majors said.
She also had positive relationships with faculty, and in return they educated her on how to successfully enter the workforce.
"I built really strong relationships with the faculty," Majors said. "They taught me how to present myself professionally."
Bryce Majors lived in Shipstad for a year and a half before he moved off campus. In hindsight, he wouldn't have minded living on campus all four years because he loved the community.
"I moved off campus because it was the norm," Majors said. "If it wasn't the norm, I would've lived on campus all four years."
He and his wife, Elisa, met their junior year and graduated together in 2004.
"We both lived in Shipstad, but I didn't know her then," Majors said.
Brimrose found her best friends when she lived on campus in Mehling.
"During thanksgiving break, I would always have to turn down invites to people's houses," Brimrose said.
Although the alumni spent a couple of years away from UP working elsewhere, they eventually found opportunities for work at UP and were more than willing to take the job.
Yet, Boatright found that the transition from a student to staff member was a little awkward because her former instructors had to view her as their colleague instead of their student worker.
"It took some adjusting to see my former instructors in my staff meeting," Boatright said.
Now that the alumni have fully transitioned into the professional workforce, they have only positive things to say about their experiences as staff members at UP.
Boatright still loves being a member of the UP community because she can still be a part of all the activities that are happening on campus and is intellectually stimulated by her coworkers.
"Why leave a good thing?" Boatright said
Elisa Majors says it's fun recruiting prospective students and answering their questions about life on-campus. She feels like she can give them a lot of information about church, study abroad and dorm life because of her personal experience.
One thing she didn't realize until she became a staff member was how many people are involved in the students' education and graduation.
"There are a lot of people encouraging you and helping you cross the stage at graduation," Majors said.
Bryce Majors realized how important it was to find a job that he was passionate about.
"I like financial aid," Majors said. "You're making a small part in improving young people's lives. It's really a privilege to believe in the work you are doing," Majors said.
One thing that he realized when he became a faculty member was how much is done behind the scenes for the students benefit.
"People work really hard and pour out their time and energy for students," Majors said. "As a student you don't see all the staff, like the marketing and communication staff."
Harrington has been working at UP for 13 years as the associate director in communications and doesn't plan to leave.
"There's a great sense of community and people care for each other," Harrington said. "You don't see that everywhere."
Harrington and Brimrose believe that they have an emotional attachment to UP.
"We're emotionally invested in what we're doing," Brimrose said. "UP is a huge part of our identity."
Brimrose and Harrington were proud to say without hesitation that they will be staying at UP for quite a while.
"I'm never leaving," Brimrose said.
