Meet the Players- ASPSA Intern Class of 2017
Hey everyone!
It is about that time. The 2017-2018 school year is quickly approaching and that means...A NEW ASPSA INTERN CLASS! We are very excited to be here and can’t wait to share our experiences, laughs, and journey with you over the course of this year. We have been working hard here around Case since June 19 and have been really hitting the ground running. It is hard to believe that we have been here for just over a month, but we can already tell you all that we have been learning a ton. Between training and some hands-on experience with our students and primary and secondary supervisors over the course of Summer Session II, we have been able to test our skills with academic update reports (AURs), with preparing for fall schedules, and with some rapport-building with our students. Our days have been filled with checking students in for their tutoring/mentoring sessions, learning about eligibility and advising, helping our students in Summer START, and learning about some of our responsibilities and sports for the upcoming year. We have really been enjoying our time getting to know everyone around the office, and we can’t wait to see what this experience has in store for us! But, before we gear up for the big game that is the fall semester, here’s a little more about us, your favorite players:
Taylor-
Hey guys!
My name is Taylor Mercado and I am this year’s men’s basketball intern. I am originally from Long Island, New York but have been in NC for about 9 years now. I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2013 with a double-major in political science and public policy. While I was just down the road, I spent a lot of my time in undergrad as an orientation leader, an admissions ambassador, and as a football ambassador, working with recruits as they visited during home games. I didn’t even realize it then but I was slowly falling in love with working with students and helping them make the best of their college experiences. I loved telling people about my institution and my experience, and wanted every student I met to love college as much as I did. I decided to continue pushing first-generation college students like myself to see their potential and what college could do for them as a college adviser with the Carolina College Advising Corps in Charlotte, NC. From there, I knew that I wanted to make education a career and my decision to attend NC State to pursue a master’s in higher education administration was a no-brainer! In my second year of my master’s program, I became a mentor and did my graduate school practicum here at ASPSA, working closely with Emily and Lauren with the Learning Enhancement Program. My experience working primarily with first-year football student-athletes and with the ASPSA staff made it very clear that I wanted to work with student-athletes as a career. The staff allowed me to get my feet wet in the field by mentoring student-athletes, co-teaching one of the USC courses, and having a mini-caseload of swimming/diving student-athletes. I really feel like my time here at Case has helped me me find my niche and passion, and I am thrilled to be continuing as an assistant academic coordinator here and can’t wait to have new experiences throughout the year. GO PACK!
Bri-
Hey y’all! My name is Bri and I am one of the football interns. A native Georgia Peach, I am from Thomson, GA, which is a small town right outside of Augusta, GA. I am a two-time graduate of the University of Georgia, which makes me a “Double Dawg!” I earned my Bachelor of Education degree in health and physical education from UGA in 2013. As a Health and PE major, I enjoyed not only exploring the intersections of sports and education, but also realizing that I could use my role as an educator to create social change. After graduating, I worked for two years as a Georgia College Advising Corps College Adviser at an urban high school in Augusta, GA. In this role, I had the privilege to continue promoting educational access and equity by assisting first-generation, low-income, underrepresented students on their journey to college. Although it was fulfilling knowing that I helped many students actualize and accomplish their goals, it was also frustrating to recognize how systemic issues prevented many students from getting to college and from persisting through college. As a result, I returned to UGA to pursue my Master of Education degree in college student affairs administration. One of the highlights of my experience as a graduate student was working as an Athletic Academic Mentor for UGA’s Athletic Department. As a mentor, I enjoyed helping student-athletes tap into their potential and capitalize on skills that would lead to their success both inside and outside of the classroom. I always knew that I wanted to pursue a career that combined my appreciation for sports and my passion for helping others, and a career in student-athlete academic support services would mean that I could continue holistically supporting diverse student groups while also serving as a champion for college access and persistence. Thus, after graduating with my masters degree from UGA, my job search led me to North Carolina State University’s Academic Support Program for Student Athletes.
I know that this year as an ASPSA intern will bring as much challenge as it will growth. However, I am excited to continue exploring ways in which I can use my role as an educator to continue promoting educational access and college persistence for student-athletes.
Kaitlyn-
Hi all!
My name is Kaitlyn Barrett, and I am the other football intern! I am from Monticello, Illinois, a small town near Champaign, IL. A former student-athlete, I played softball for Northern Illinois University and earned my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. After earning my bachelor’s degree and finishing up my athletic eligibility, I stayed at NIU to get a master’s degree in Sport Management. While earning my master’s degree, I was a Graduate Assistant in the Kinesiology department, teaching and overseeing the exercise gerontology clinical class. In addition to being a GA in the Kinesiology department, I also was an intern for NIU’s Student-Athlete Academic Success Services (SAASS) department. While interning at SAASS, I had the pleasure of working with a case load of student-athletes, assisting with their tutorial program and developed a passion for this career field.
I am beyond excited to watch my passion and knowledge within this career field grow over the course of this next year at NC State! I know that the ASPSA team is one of the best in the business, and can’t wait to learn all that I can while also making new connections with a great group of individuals! Keep checking in with Bri, Taylor and I as we learn to navigate NC State, ASPSA and the world of academic advising! Can’t wait to share this upcoming year with all of you! Go PACK!