Meighan Burke, director of student transition at Arkansas Tech University, is the winner of the 2019 NODA Region IV Outstanding Orientation Professional award.
Burke received her honor at the 2019 NODA Region IV Conference March 15-17 in Fayetteville.
A graduate of the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and Spanish, Burke went on to obtain a Master of Science degree in college student personnel from the University of Tennessee.
She invested 10 years in student affairs at the University of Texas-Arlington before joining the ATU staff in July 2018.
Burke’s work at UTA included service as coordinator and later as assistant director of new student orientation. She also ensured the delivery of services to off-campus students and to the parents and family members of UTA students.
Aubrey Holt, assistant dean for campus life at ATU, wrote in a letter of nomination that Burke joined the ATU Department of Campus Life during a time of transition and flourished in that environment.
“The director position was brand new, and while orientation had been in this department for several years, the other functional areas of first generation and adult/commuter student programming were new responsibilities in this position and department,” wrote Holt. “Within 42 days of starting at a new institution, Ms. Burke managed to acclimate to a new work environment, foster quality and strategic relationships with key stakeholders and implement a successful orientation program. She truly rose to the challenge.”
Burke has also collaborated with campus partners to redesign new student orientation, TechConnect, to dovetail with a new advising model at ATU.
Approximately 700 incoming Arkansas Tech freshmen will be registered for classes and oriented during March and April alone as part of the new TechAdvise program. That process did not begin until May in years past.
TechConnect will complete the pre-fall semester orientation process for incoming students during the three days before classes begin in August.
“Ms. Burke has done a phenomenal job in transforming our orientation program,” wrote Holt. “The program has been elevated on our campus as a result of her work, and we are serving our students better because of her efforts. She is doing great work, and I am excited to see her commitment to the profession recognized.”
NODA, the Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education, defines its mission as providing “education, leadership and professional development in the fields of college student orientation, transition and retention.”
NODA Region IV includes universities and colleges in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
