In between running SAC, MCC, graduate school, taking care of his dog Zeke, and going to Pittsburg for Penguins games, we finally got our advisor to sit down and talk to us!
Name: Michael Kalage
Hometown: Jim Thorpe, PA
Her Campus (HC): “ Hi Michael thanks for taking time out of your busy day to talk to us”
Michael Kalage (MK): “ Thank you”
HC: “ So what do you do on campus?”
MK: “ I am the Assistant Director of Student Activities and Leadership Development, supervise SAC, MCC. I assist with orientation and leadership programs.
HC: “ What is it like running SAC and MCC and working with the student staff?”
MK: “ Umm, it is definitely very fun, everything comes in waves, there is a good down time where I can hang with students and talk to them and then there is time where there is a lot going on. But both times are a lot of fun. It is always different and I really like it.
HC: “ Since you are our advisor, what do you enjoy most about working with the people on Her Campus?”
MK: “ I like separately advising student organizations because it gives me a chance to support students I wouldn’t normally interact with and help them work together to accomplish their goals.
HC: “ Besides the SALD Office, where is your favorite place to hang out and study or relax?”
MK: “ I like going to Panera with my supervisor [ Kim Coleman], we go for dinner, homework and hanging out.”
HC: “ You were the graduate assistant last year and now you are a full time staff member, how was the transition?”
MK: * Breathes heavy looks up at ceiling* “umm, it was not bad because I lightened my class load while I was adjusting to the new postion and Kim has been super supportive and taught me all I need to know in order to run MCC and SAC effectively.”
HC: “ For someone who wants to be involved in SAC or any kind of student leadership or planning events, what would your advice be to them?”
Mk: “My advice would be you need to seek out the opportunity and not wait for them to come to you, the earlier the better. If you are an upperclassman odds it will be it stays that way, if you are freshmen if you start getting involved it only grows”
HC: “What is your favorite food?”
MK: “Chinese food”
HC: “ Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
MK: *Leans head back stressed* “I will still be working on a college campus somewhere. While I am young I definitely want to travel, before I set my roots anywhere. So at this point I can’t say where I might up.
HC: “Last question, Dunkin or Starbucks?”
MK: “Dunkin”
**Michael spent the last half of our interview looking at pics of his dog, our advisor is not a dog to all who thought it was.**