Megan Daniels retires after 15 years of service as Undergraduate Student Senior Academic Advisor

Anyone who has had the pleasure of interacting with Megan Daniels can vouch for her tell-it-like-it-is nature. She is regarded as being a matter-of-fact voice of reason when students are considering their schedules, juggling career options, and struggling through academic probation. Often unintentionally assuming a motherly posture, Megan is more than a traditional advisor to students in our welding engineering and materials science and engineering programs. Megan represents safety. She represents honesty. And accountability. And joy.

Megan was meant to be in higher education. Her ability to relate to students comes naturally. An alumna of Wittenberg University, Megan has a dual major in English and Psychology. Her interest in higher education, especially student development, began when she was a Resident Assistant in college and inspired her to earn a Master of Arts degree in College Student Personnel. She also enjoyed roles in residence life and admissions before transitioning from higher ed to become a part-time Community Counselor with Au Pair in America while raising her young children, Emily and Tom. (Tom completed his master’s degree in Welding Engineering in 2015.)

Megan resumed her career in higher ed in 1999 by taking a position at Columbus State Community College, where she was an advisor for nearly seven years. In April 2006, she became a member of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Ohio State as the undergraduate Academic Advisor. “I was looking for a smallish department that would allow me to use my student development theory in very practical ways. We intuitively know, and research shows, that students who feel they belong to a community in college have a higher success rate in completing their degree.” Students instinctively took to Megan, who seamlessly nurtured an inclusive environment with her personable approach. The position allowed her to channel positive residence life experiences by forming relationships with students and developing community with them. Megan describes her role’s goals as “developing happy alumni: happy that they chose these majors, happy with their careers, happy to give back.”

Take a quick rewind to 2006, and the landscape of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering looked much different. There were 130 total MSE students. Welding Engineering was still a distant relative and would remain as such for four more years. Much growth has occurred in both figurative and literal senses. Megan recalls, “We have increased our racial and gender diversity. The demand for biomaterials and polymers courses is stronger than ever and watching and planning for the new Fontana Labs have been a thrill.” The close-knit feel within the department still exists considering the tremendous growth among both programs.

Unfortunately, Megan will not get a chance to enjoy the new office in Fontana Labs, but a new tenant is picking up where Megan leaves off. Kami Westhoff has accepted the position. “I couldn’t be happier with Kami’s decision to join us. She brings advising experience from both Engineering and Arts & Sciences. Her art background balances out the technical and often exact nature of our engineering courses. She is a creative and enthusiastic addition to our staff.”

Fifteen years and thousands of students have provided volumes of memories - memories that will forever remind Megan of the community she helped harvest. Never a spectator, she preferred to participate in the growth of her beloved students. That participation meant time spent away from her own family who always supported her devotion to the students. After all, how better to understand the elements of a student’s happiness than sharing the ride? A mere page from the volumes of memories, these are her favorites:

• Friday donuts! (Megan helped inspire this weekly event shared among students, faculty and staff of the department. Thanks to Megan, this end-of-the-week tradition transitioned to virtual donuts on account of social distancing requirements.)
• Attending poster sessions and commenting on all the pretty colors on the posters because I didn’t understand the content.
• MSE recruitment with diaper demos showing materials properties and processing, including laser welding
• Undergrad Awards Banquets
• Little Bar karaoke

• Submarine ride with Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program – San Diego. Compliments of the US Navy who wants to hire our students
• Being made honorary WE alumna
• FABTECH and getting to know the Welding Engineering alumni

A career spent advising students and celebrating their milestones will creep into a person’s heart. Megan has had the privilege of following and participating in the lives of a lot of students. She has written recommendations, fielded reference calls, attended their weddings, met their families, and shared a beer with them when they returned to campus. “I keep in touch with many former students. I’m particularly close with the first group of freshmen I had in the 2006 Survey class.” Whether it’s a testament to her role during their undergraduate years or her status as confidant, Megan occupies a special place in the lives of MSE and WE students. What they may not have realized is how they enriched her career, “By far the best parts about my job as a Senior Advisor were being a part of our students’ lives and watching them mature, gain confidence, recognize strengths they didn’t know they had, and attain their goals.”

March ushers in a commencement of sorts for Megan. Her retirement begins with a three-week solo trip to decompress and embrace her love of travel, nature, sun, and water. Home improvement projects will occupy her time after the respite, and longer-term plans include more travel with husband Jim, local politics, and volunteer work with social justice groups. Genealogy, gardening, community theatre, and the Daniels’s grandson Allen will continue to be constants throughout her retirement as well. Megan has not ruled out working part-time if the opportunity arises.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering wishes nothing but the best for Megan during her retirement. We will miss regular doses of Megan’s unmistaken wit, sharp sense of humor, youthful spirit, and vibrant personality. We will miss the alternative perspectives she contributed to meetings – always in the best interest of her undergraduate students. Megan had a gift of consciously relating to everyone she met, and her indifference to differences built the community that helped students flourish. Her legacy at the university will live on through reminiscent accounts, frosted mugs of cheap beer and playful camaraderie in the community she helped build. 

The department established the Advisor’s Choice Award in honor of Megan Daniels. Chosen by the department academic advisors, one award each will be given to MSE and WE graduating students who demonstrate having benefited from a holistic undergraduate education regardless of GPA. A holistic undergraduate education includes, but is not limited to, having had experiences in activities, leadership, work, service, study-abroad, and research that contributed to their successful degree completion. Particular emphasis is placed on those students who have overcome challenging or extraordinary circumstances. 2021 marks the first time the Advisor's Choice Award was given to a student in MSE and WE, respectively. 

If you would like to keep in touch with Megan, she can be found on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganevansdaniels/

Libby Culley, Department of Materials Science and Engineering Communications, culley.36@osu.edu.