Alumni to Employee

Life after graduating college is a mystery for some, for others, their lives are planned out for the next five years. But that does not stop everyone from asking seniors “What is your next step?” I bet their immediate answers weren't working at Millikin as Senior Admission Counselor, Success Coach, or Coordinator for Student Engagement and Leadership Development. But for some of Millikin’s newest alumni that is where they ended up. Five of Millikin’s best let us inside to see what kept them here beyond the after crossing Kirkland’s stage. 

Jordan Diver, class of 2021, serves as Millikin's Senior Admission Counselor and is the definition of making it Millikin. When explaining why she came back to work at Millikin, Diver says “I had the best experience during my time at Millikin. I did everything I wanted to do and so much more. I always knew I wanted to go to Millikin; my dad has worked here for almost 30 years, my older brother and twin both went here, and my younger sister is currently a senior at Millikin.” There are so many moving components that one can never truly understand from just one perspective. Becoming an employee adjusts the way you see Millikin. “You definitely have a different lens of Millikin as an employee compared to as a student. It can be hard, but it's important to remember the Millikin magic,” she says. That magic has been in Diver her whole life, and she continues to share it with the next class of students every day at work. 

Millikin’s newest grad, Helena Hashimoto, class of 2025, made a quick turnaround for the sake of giving back. She continuously praises the good work that student affairs and campus life did for her during her time at Millikin. “The people. They are truly the entire reason I am here. I have such deep respect for the staff of Student Affairs and beyond, and I only hope to contribute to an already talented team. The students here make it all worth it as well,” Hashimoto says when asked about what she loves most about working on campus. She serves as the new Coordinator for Student Engagement and Leadership Development. Her lengthy title is only the beginning of her responsibilities on campus, but she does so effortlessly. 

First and Second Year Student Success Coach Serron Pettis, class of 2023, is on the front line when it comes to interacting with the freshman class. Although Pettis loves Millikin now, he looks back at what campus he was when he was a student. When asked what he misses most, Pettis says, “The late-night grill where students could come get a snack or meal after dinner hours. I also miss the homecoming parade.” Both those memories are from before my time at Millikin, and I wonder what that would have been like. Like anything built to last, Millikin has changed and evolved a lot since he was a student even though it was only a few years ago. I wonder what bringing back those two memories would do for campus evolution. 

Millikin’s newest returner, Alela Kinyua, class of 2023, is coming back after some time away from campus. When asked why she came back to fulfill the role as Coordinator for Residence Life and Housing Operations, she says, “Millikin was my home away from home for four years of my life, so when I learned my position was opening, it only felt right to hop on this opportunity. It came at the right time.” Having the opportunity to experience life outside and step back on campus with a fresh start, I wondered what was different about it for Kinyua. “The best difference is not having the responsibility of homework, exams, quizzes, projects, etc., I have the luxury of being off when I am off.” That luxury has not yet set in for the student body as finals creep around the corner.  

The second First and Second Year Student Success Coach of the bunch is none other than class of 2023 alumni, Tate Heinle. Being honest about the changes on campus, Heinle expresses their grievances with its evolution. “There’s a lot less engagement, people aren’t going to events like they used to when I was a student. As someone who works in the department who oversees engagement, it can be a bit disheartening. At the same time, times are much different from even a few years ago, so I can understand why students don't have as much time or bandwidth. I would love to know what kinds of events, academic or not, the people would attend.” Everything is a give and take. The current predicament is getting things to balance out.  

With very different backgrounds and campus involvement, it is plain to see what all these staff members have in common, love. Their genuine love for the lives they all created at Millikin is so strong that they are feeding into the love of the next generations of students. The next group will have their love of campus poured into them in hopes of them creating their own love for our campus.