By Al Dickenson<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Megan White, UW-Milwaukee\u2019s College of Community Engagement and Professions Student Well-Being Manager, joined the school during the Spring 2025 semester. With a background in both primary and higher education, Megan comes equipped to aid students as they enter college and aim to thrive throughout their years in school. As students face ever-increasing odds and numerous external stressors, Megan\u2019s arrival could not have come at a better time to help students in all the ways they face adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMegan White brings both expertise and passion to the role of Student Wellness Manager, and we are excited to have her join the CCEP,\u201d said CCEP Dean Tina L. Freiburger, Ph.D. \u201cHer commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment aligns perfectly with our mission. I am confident she will make a meaningful impact on the lives of our students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In her role as Student Well-Being Manager, Megan will work to help students individually, but also in terms of policy and programming. One of Megan\u2019s duties is to organize engaging programs such as wellness gatherings, community-building events, and resource exchanges to promote a sense of belonging and well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We asked Megan to answer a few questions about herself to properly introduce her to the CCEP community. Her interview has been edited for length and clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please introduce yourself to us. What is your background, educational, professional, or otherwise? What led you to this type of work and\/or 51ÁÔÆæ in general?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n I grew up outside of Chicago and was really involved in sports and activities through high school. I did well enough academically that I was accepted to a good college, but I went away to school and suddenly found myself lost with time management and confused about why I wasn\u2019t enjoying college more and\/or doing better academically. I left college after a semester to try to figure out what to do. Instead, I went back to the same school and struggled for a few more semesters before finding a major. Then I started attending all <\/em>my class sessions and got a part-time job. As my schedule filled up, I started to do a lot better in school. There was a similar experience during graduate school, but at some point in that program, I felt my brain making connections it never had before. It was amazing, and I started to love school, luckily, because I was studying to be a teacher. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I taught in the Chicago Public Schools as a middle and high school teacher for a handful of years, then I moved to the Milwaukee area about 20 years ago where I began working in higher education as a tutor, adjunct instructor, assessor, academic coach, and student retention coach. I discovered my favorite spaces are working individually and in small groups with students, listening, supporting, and problem-solving. I could not be more excited about my new role as Student Well-Being Manager for CCEP. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell us about your role at 51ÁÔÆæ. What does your role entail currently? How do you plan on expanding the office’s duties? <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n As the Student Well-Being Manager for the College of Community Engagement and Professions, I serve as a resource for all social work, criminal justice and criminology, information studies, and education majors. I work individually with students. This supports their connection to campus resources. I reach out to students proactively, respond to referrals and alerts from faculty, and plan to continue to get in front of students at orientations and other venues to let them know I am available to them. I work closely with CCEP\u2019s leadership to identify barriers to student success and strategize to either remove the barriers or support student navigation of those challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall student well-being includes many aspects of experience: emotional, mental, physical, academic, and more. My role is unique in that I can support student problem-solving that overlaps many areas. Adapting to college and being successful throughout college, all while life is happening at the same time, can be very challenging and multiple support and\/or a cross-categorical support, like my role affords, can be supportive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How are you planning to introduce yourself to the 51ÁÔÆæ community at large?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There have been a couple of events I have been invited to. We recently had a pizza party to introduce me and my new role to the college. I am also thrilled to be invited to support the Community Building Workshop with Dimitri Topitzes, which is an amazing experience open to all CCEP students and is offered before each semester starts. I was able to be a participant in January\u2019s workshop and highly recommend people attend. I plan to be involved in new student orientations, and to continue to find ways to encourage student engagement, as well as to continue connecting with students one-on-one. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Al Dickenson Megan White, UW-Milwaukee\u2019s College of Community Engagement and Professions Student Well-Being Manager, joined the school during the Spring 2025 semester. With a background in both primary and higher education, Megan comes equipped to aid students as they …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3016,"featured_media":1982,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nMy role is unique in that I can support student problem-solving that overlaps many areas. Adapting to college and being successful throughout college, all while life is happening at the same time, can be very challenging and multiple support and\/or a cross-categorical support, like my role affords, can be supportive.<\/blockquote>