Meghan White Email and Phone Number

Two years into my role as a Military Education Coordinator and an opportunity was presented to step into the Assistant Director role of my career. I have adapted the role to one that suits my leadership style, hired motivated individuals, and watched my team soar through every trial and tribulation. I could not be prouder of their adaptability to my rogue ideas and even more so to how they navigated a pandemic with our students.Since stepping into this role, I’ve opened a new location in Arlington and added office hours at another base, taking us from four to six locations. My staff has grown from five to eight MECs and a night monitor and I don’t see us slowing down anytime soon!During the pandemic, I teamed up with a peer and developed what we now call our “Virtual Advising Rooms” (VAR). An adaptation that was so successful and is so popular with our students that we will continue to hire to support the traffic for it.We can now meet our students where they need it most and this alone motivates my staff like no other and reminds their students that we’re here for them when they need it most.My time as an Assistant Director to the Northern Virginia region has taught me so much and given my an insurmountable measure of pride in our students, my staff, and myself.

Since beginning with UMUC, my role has evolved from direct student-advisor relationships to training new employees, developing metrics for increasing enrollment, enhancing our community college relationships, and representing UMUC at various events in the Northern Virginia region.I have created a worksheet that is now being utilized throughout the Veterans Affairs community within the institution to assist students in finding the most applicable classes needed to maximize their benefits while projecting their expected graduation dates. This has shown an increase of on-base classroom retention of 147.75% since the fall of 2015.I have trained others on this Degree Map through conferences, hands-on, and web-ex (distance learning) environments.On the Student Affairs side, we successfully maintain an active presence with the local military community by attending graduations, base functions, and education activities which include college/education fairs. Provide services and assistance to students that walk in and call for admissions, registration, financial aid, and student account information.On the administrative side, manage operational and administrative duties by compiling monthly statistics and reports. Proactively complete outreach to the military communities to promote classes at NOVA offices. Provide outreach initiatives to attain university goals towards enrollment and retention. Support Assistant Director with creating, coordinating, and providing consistent outreach services to specific military and local events.

Master SCUBA Diver Instructor for various dive shops throughout the nation. Seasport Divers in Poipu, Kauaii; Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo, Florida; Ocean Enterprises in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Certified as a Handicapped Scuba Instructor through HSA for all levels of handicaps. Taught every level of SCUBA up to Assistant SCUBA Instructor.

The purpose of the Association of Student Affairs Professionals (ASAP) is to provide educational, networking, and professional development opportunities for students interested in careers in higher education and student affairs.I focus on working with my teammate on creating and running various forms of Professional Development that often include the wisdom available to us through our successful alumnus. We combine efforts with surrounding schools to give our members the best opportunity for networking and development. I currently am in the process of taking our committee to an online platform where any of our members can access various learning points, professional development workshops, program assistance, and networking benefits. This process will make it so we can reach not only our students at the UW-Milwaukee campus, but our many, many online students as well.

In the School of Education, Office of Student Services at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, we focus on combining all of our best offices to contribute to our students success. I started as an intern in the office that simply observed the networking between the advisors, the resource center, and the scholarship office. Over the course of a few months I began co-advising students and assisted in mapping out their education plan. My second semester in this internship will allow me to work independently while advising students in their preliminary meetings to discuss the path they wish to take and what courses they need to start with. • Adapted previously gained knowledge of advising veterans to advising education-intended students.• Developed individualized degree plans for students after observing experienced professionals walk students through their degree progression.• Mentored undergraduate student assistants in the Office of Student Services.• Familiarized self with campus software to better assist students varying needs.

Acted as a primary liaison between Marines and their families wishing to explore school options while establishing goals and milestones to implement their school progression. Presented at education fairs, Marine Corps unit events, and on-base college events and tours to help promote the understanding of organizational mission, policies, and activities.

Researched, prepared, and disseminated information through news releases, radio, and television production as a journalist. As a sergeant, directed newer soldiers in work ethics and assisting in hard-earned and well learned knowledge of the field while monitoring work in progress to see that priorities, methods, deadlines, and quality have been met.