Office of Inclusive Excellence associate director reflects on her first year on the job
Former admissions counselor Tahalia McGowan discusses the transition to her new role and ideas to improve student experiences.
Tahalia McGowan has come a long way in her professional career, and her path has not always been clear. As a first-generation college student at Illinois State University from 2013-2018, she struggled to decide on a career field, ultimately receiving a degree in theater studies.
After graduating, she didn’t want a position in the entertainment industry; instead, she worked various customer service jobs before becoming a Bradley admissions counselor in 2022. From there, McGowan knew she wanted to be more involved with students on campus.
Last semester, she jumped at the chance to be the new associate director for the Office of Inclusive Excellence (OIE). As she approaches the end of her first year in the position, McGowan sat down to describe what her experience has been like so far.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What was it like being an admissions counselor and what did you learn from being in that position?
Being an admissions counselor was fun. I got to meet a lot of different families. I had a very diverse area of students that I worked with in inner city Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. It was a good experience, but I just feel like for my career and where I’m trying to go, I don’t think that’s where I needed to be. The work was very interesting, but for me, it’s deeper than just getting the kids here. It’s about building relationships with them and guiding them through the years that they’re here.
Fast forward to last fall. How did you land the role of OIE associate director?
Honestly, I was just kind of looking around and I had heard through the grapevine that the position was opening and I knew it was under the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion division. I saw the job posting, read the qualifications and it sounded like something I would be interested in doing. It did seem like it would be time consuming and a lot of work, but for me, being in this position really is about the students. It’s not about the pay or the busy work—it’s about me being able to be there for the students and have that connection with them.
What are your main duties as associate director?
It is a very student-facing job. I am in charge of all of the student staff that works at the Garrett Center front desk. I also now advise Bradley’s chapter of the National Association of Colored Women’s Club. So, not only do I collaborate with student organizations, but also advise and oversee them. I also oversee the budget for our department.
Can you describe the experience of transitioning from admissions counselor to associate director? What was easy and what was challenging?
For me, it was really easy transitioning. I already had good leadership skills and knew how to do most of the stuff that I’m doing now, so this is an opportunity for me to elevate those skills and gain a little more. Sometimes it can get a little hectic because I do a lot of late work. It was also difficult for me to start making my own name, which is something I’m trying to do. When I was an admissions counselor, nobody cared about what I was doing. Now that I’m here, I get to actually make some decisions.
What’s it like working with the Executive Director Kelvin Herrera-Hassan?
It’s very fun. Kelvin has been in the education game for a long time, so he knows a lot and he’s like a mentor to me. He’s been showing me how he started from the bottom and made it to where he is now. We work, but we have fun, too. I didn’t get that in admissions. I wake up and I’m excited to go to work. I’m always learning. Kelvin is a great leader.
What is your favorite part about being in this new job? What would you say is the most important aspect for you?
It’s just getting to know the kids, what they like to do and the organizations they are a part of. I always tell them, “If there’s any way I can support you guys, let me know.” It’s really about the students. That’s really all that matters to me. We’re trying to get away from the stereotype that our office only supports Black and brown students, which is why when we do training in different departments, we say that we represent the underrepresented marginalized populations. That’s not just students of color—that’s veterans, students with disabilities and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We want to get a little bit of everybody in here because the Garrett Center benefits everyone.
Coming in, what are some of the things you wanted to accomplish as associate director? Have you been able to work on any of those goals?
My main thing was collecting data such as what have we done in the past, how has that benefited our students and what do we need to change to benefit students more. I’ve worked on everything I wanted to do, honestly. My main thing was getting to know students and preparing them for adult life. I’ve been able to do that through the programming that we’ve done. I’m working on a mentorship program for first-generation students right now.
What is something you’ve worked on so far that you are really proud of?
I have constructed a program called Beyond the Degree, which is a seminar series for success. I haven’t launched it yet. I noticed during my first couple of months working here that a lot of seniors and juniors don’t have any idea about what’s going to happen in the real world. The program will have a bunch of different workshops and guest speakers, and we’ll hopefully start it in the fall. There will be topics like adulting 101, professional development, mental health and financial literacy.
What do you ultimately hope to achieve or gain from being associate director? How do you picture your future at Bradley?
Eventually, I want to be where Kelvin is and go up from there. I want to become some type of motivational or public speaker for diversity, equity and inclusion: somebody who goes around to different conferences and workshops and presents on different topics. I know I can do it; it’s just a matter of doing the work and being persistent and diligent. I have no worries that I can get there.