Michelle Whited: Bradley University
Many things that make college such a valuable experience aren’t learned in a classroom. Things like extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities can make all the difference in both a student’s development and his memories of these years. Michelle Whited, director of Student Activities at Bradley University, has worked hard for years to ensure Bradley students take advantage of everything the university has to offer.
In a nutshell, she’s an event planner, Whited said. “Serving as the main advisor to Student Senate, the Activities Council (ACBU), and the student fee funding board, I assist students with brainstorming, researching, marketing, arranging logistics, and implementing various programs. It’s my responsibility to take all of these steps with the campus-wide programs offered by the university. I also work closely with other campus departments in planning and implementing major annual programs such as Welcome Week, Homecoming, and Parents’ Weekends.”
She said her day-to-day schedule isn’t consistent, which is one reason she loves her job. “One day I’ll be in meetings with other administrators, faculty, or students; the next, I’ll be managing an event outside or in the Field House. Later that week you can find me making centerpieces for a reception or on the phone lining up performers. That’s what makes my job exciting; it requires me to be on campus at odd hours, but it’s never routine or boring.”
A New Jersey native who was raised in upstate New York, Whited received her bachelor’s degree in communications/public relations from SUNY Geneseo in western New York. “From there I went to Western Illinois University in Macomb, obtaining a master’s degree in recreation, parks, and tourism administration with a concentration in student union administration. I served as a program advisor at the Illini Union at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before coming to Bradley in 1997,” she said.
Whited, who’s now worked in the field of student activities for 15 years, said she essentially stumbled into this career. “I planned to pursue a career in public relations for a non-profit agency, but an opportunity arose to work in a one-year internship at my school after I graduated. Since I didn’t have a job lined up, I grabbed it.”
In her work with Bradley, she juggles the needs of 200 student organizations. “I’m lucky in that not all 200 student organizations seek help,” she said. “However, there are quite a few who seek assistance—anywhere from funding for an event to reserving a space for an event to dealing with conflict management within their organization. I have a very effective office staff that provides many of these services. Our core team consists of one full-time support staff, a graduate assistant, and a handful of student employees. We’ve all worked hard at establishing strong, trusting relationships, so everyone is effective at assisting the organizations with their endeavors. Our office workload is very heavy and hectic, and I’m lucky to lead such a strong and committed team.”
Whited is proud of the student services available at Bradley. “I think our student life program is very attractive to prospective students. They easily should be able to find an organization or an opportunity to meet their interests. We make it very clear that, as a university, we’ll work at finding a way to meet their needs. If for some reason we can’t, we’ll help them find what they need in the Peoria area,” she said.
Perhaps not surprising given her professional career, volunteering is important to Whited—especially her work with the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). “I’ve held a number of leadership positions within this organization and have been proud of the time I’ve devoted to it. My proudest achievement was being able to lead our region through a transition from two member states to six, combining two well-established regions into one. The challenge was to make sure the regional leadership team was balanced with representation and that everyone understood and could work within the new policies and procedures enacted by the association. I’m also very proud and humbled by the recognition I’ve received from this association. In 2002 I received the Janet Carl Smith Award in recognition of my dedication to the region and the development of students. In 2004 I received the Hall of Fame Award in recognition of my service to the association and the development of volunteers,” she said.
She passes her feelings about volunteering to the students she teaches in a Bradley freshmen experience class. “I share with them my belief that it’s important to give back to the community in which you find yourself,” she said. “So not only do I get involved within my profession, I also get involved with the Peoria community through my students. I’m lucky to work at Bradley, where I can combine all of my interests and take time to give back to the community.”
Whited said both the best and most challenging aspect of her career is working closely with students. “The challenge comes with teaching and helping them manage their very busy schedules. They’re all at different points in development, both emotionally and intellectually, and this causes me to change my approach many times a day.”
She said this major undertaking is balanced by the joy she receives when something clicks for a student or when success is achieved after many hours are put into a program or project. “The students keep me young, and each year I get to watch them grow and learn. They make me laugh, they challenge me, and they allow me to become part of their lives. My personal and professional lives have been enriched by the relationships I’ve established over the years. Even though it’s sad when they graduate, I never feel a need to say good-bye, as many of these former students consider me a mentor and a friend.” TPW
In a nutshell, she’s an event planner, Whited said. “Serving as the main advisor to Student Senate, the Activities Council (ACBU), and the student fee funding board, I assist students with brainstorming, researching, marketing, arranging logistics, and implementing various programs. It’s my responsibility to take all of these steps with the campus-wide programs offered by the university. I also work closely with other campus departments in planning and implementing major annual programs such as Welcome Week, Homecoming, and Parents’ Weekends.”
She said her day-to-day schedule isn’t consistent, which is one reason she loves her job. “One day I’ll be in meetings with other administrators, faculty, or students; the next, I’ll be managing an event outside or in the Field House. Later that week you can find me making centerpieces for a reception or on the phone lining up performers. That’s what makes my job exciting; it requires me to be on campus at odd hours, but it’s never routine or boring.”
A New Jersey native who was raised in upstate New York, Whited received her bachelor’s degree in communications/public relations from SUNY Geneseo in western New York. “From there I went to Western Illinois University in Macomb, obtaining a master’s degree in recreation, parks, and tourism administration with a concentration in student union administration. I served as a program advisor at the Illini Union at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before coming to Bradley in 1997,” she said.
Whited, who’s now worked in the field of student activities for 15 years, said she essentially stumbled into this career. “I planned to pursue a career in public relations for a non-profit agency, but an opportunity arose to work in a one-year internship at my school after I graduated. Since I didn’t have a job lined up, I grabbed it.”
In her work with Bradley, she juggles the needs of 200 student organizations. “I’m lucky in that not all 200 student organizations seek help,” she said. “However, there are quite a few who seek assistance—anywhere from funding for an event to reserving a space for an event to dealing with conflict management within their organization. I have a very effective office staff that provides many of these services. Our core team consists of one full-time support staff, a graduate assistant, and a handful of student employees. We’ve all worked hard at establishing strong, trusting relationships, so everyone is effective at assisting the organizations with their endeavors. Our office workload is very heavy and hectic, and I’m lucky to lead such a strong and committed team.”
Whited is proud of the student services available at Bradley. “I think our student life program is very attractive to prospective students. They easily should be able to find an organization or an opportunity to meet their interests. We make it very clear that, as a university, we’ll work at finding a way to meet their needs. If for some reason we can’t, we’ll help them find what they need in the Peoria area,” she said.
Perhaps not surprising given her professional career, volunteering is important to Whited—especially her work with the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). “I’ve held a number of leadership positions within this organization and have been proud of the time I’ve devoted to it. My proudest achievement was being able to lead our region through a transition from two member states to six, combining two well-established regions into one. The challenge was to make sure the regional leadership team was balanced with representation and that everyone understood and could work within the new policies and procedures enacted by the association. I’m also very proud and humbled by the recognition I’ve received from this association. In 2002 I received the Janet Carl Smith Award in recognition of my dedication to the region and the development of students. In 2004 I received the Hall of Fame Award in recognition of my service to the association and the development of volunteers,” she said.
She passes her feelings about volunteering to the students she teaches in a Bradley freshmen experience class. “I share with them my belief that it’s important to give back to the community in which you find yourself,” she said. “So not only do I get involved within my profession, I also get involved with the Peoria community through my students. I’m lucky to work at Bradley, where I can combine all of my interests and take time to give back to the community.”
Whited said both the best and most challenging aspect of her career is working closely with students. “The challenge comes with teaching and helping them manage their very busy schedules. They’re all at different points in development, both emotionally and intellectually, and this causes me to change my approach many times a day.”
She said this major undertaking is balanced by the joy she receives when something clicks for a student or when success is achieved after many hours are put into a program or project. “The students keep me young, and each year I get to watch them grow and learn. They make me laugh, they challenge me, and they allow me to become part of their lives. My personal and professional lives have been enriched by the relationships I’ve established over the years. Even though it’s sad when they graduate, I never feel a need to say good-bye, as many of these former students consider me a mentor and a friend.” TPW