When most students commit to attending Muhlenberg, they believe that they will be at the College for about a four-year timeframe. However, after graduating, some alumni decide to plant roots in Allentown and work for the institution that granted them their undergraduate degree. This was the case for Morgan Tietz ‘21 and Andrea Rodriguez ‘21.
These alumni had vastly different academic interests, but both have made their way back to Muhlenberg to work as faculty members with administrative positions. Tietz majored in environmental science with a double minor in sustainability studies and creative writing, while Rodriguez was on the pre-law track, studying international studies and a self-designed Latin American and Caribbean studies major. Now, Tietz holds the title of sustainability specialist and Rodriguez is an assistant director in the Office of Admissions.
Similarly, neither one of the young professionals knew that their career would begin at their alma mater. Tietz noted that, “While I was studying here at Muhlenberg I always felt very at home. I love the Lehigh Valley and knew when I started school here that I wanted to spend my career making the local community more sustainable. However, I didn’t know that I would be starting my career at the place that has been my home away from home for the past four years! I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to work here with the amazing faculty, staff and students at Muhlenberg.”
“I wanted to spend my career making the local community more sustainable. However, I didn’t know that I would be starting my career at the place that has been my home away from home for the past four years!”
Not only does Rodriguez work for the College, she is also undergoing the process of obtaining her Masters degree in organizational leadership from the Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies. She discussed her reasoning behind her decision to take the job in admissions saying, “When I reflected on my undergraduate experience and my decision to continue with my studies here as a graduate student, it all came down to the community and relationships that I had established. These prior experiences made applying for and accepting the position a clear cut decision, because I knew that ‘Berg was a place I could continue to grow personally and professionally. Also, my biggest priority was feeling excited to wake up for work every day!”
Rodriguez also expressed a changed outlook on Muhlenberg now that she has a full-time position at the institution. She noted that, “My perspective has begun to change because now I am behind the scenes and working within some of the many moving parts in admissions, that even as a student in the office I hadn’t been aware of. I have even more appreciation for the mentorship that I received from my now-colleagues as a student because the support and relationships do not stop when students matriculate.”
“My perspective has begun to change because now I am behind the scenes and working within some of the many moving parts in admissions, that even as a student in the office I hadn’t been aware of.”
Both Tietz and Rodriguez conveyed appreciation for the skills they gained at ‘Berg as undergraduate students. Tietz stated, “I think my classes in sustainability prepared me quite well for this position. The faculty in the sustainability department works really hard to design courses where students have to examine sustainability in practice which has been incredibly helpful for me. There was one class in particular, Sustainable Solutions with Dr. Rich Niesenbaum, that prepared me for this position. In the class students had to look at local issues in sustainability and determine the best solutions to fix those problems. That was one of my favorite courses as an undergrad and I use the skills that I learned from Dr. Niesenbaum every day!”
Rodriguez expressed thoughts similar to Tietz. She said, “It has been helpful to pull in my skills from being a heavily involved student with an extra course load because of the many projects we are managing at once and the fast-paced nature of the work. As a student, I was able to hone in on my time management, collaboration and leadership skills that are proving beneficial to my work in the office.”
Britney Jara ‘23 works with Rodriguez as a student greeter in the Office of Admissions. She expressed her admiration for Rodriguz saying, “Andrea has been someone extremely close to me since my sophomore year. I was in awe of her work ethic and success and that continues to be shown at her new job in Admissions. Now that I work with her in a professional capacity, I’m able to see her dedication and drive, her care for other students (students that haven’t committed to Muhlenberg yet), and the support she gives to her fellow co-workers.”
Meghan Taber ‘23 had a favorable opinion of the College stating, “I’ve watched them continue to expand their sustainability program and I’d love to be a part of that!”
Muhlenberg College as both an academic institution and place of employment has proved to be a welcoming environment for Tietz and Rodriguez. It is evident through the experiences of these two administrators that students interested in returning to the College after graduation are likely to be welcomed back.
