Shyanna Brickson

Get to know Shyanna:

1. Where are you from?
I am from the southern Wisconsin area. I moved around quite a bit but mostly grew up in Edgerton, WI.

2. Where did you go to college and what did you study?
I completed my undergraduate degree at UW–Oshkosh with a Bachelor of Science in biology with a healthcare business emphasis.

3. What career were you interested in when you started college? How about when you graduated from college?
When I started college, I was most interested in becoming a nurse. By the time I graduated college, I was looking to work in a research lab or as a career/event planner. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when there were hiring freezes, therefore, I accepted a temporary position working at Exact Sciences processing COVID samples.

4. What is the best advice you received as an undergraduate?
Take advantage of the support resources available. I ended up in this career path because I got a work study job at the Career & Professional Development office at UW-Oshkosh. I learned a lot about professionalism, resume building, and the importance of networking. That’s how I got my first full time job out of school at Exact Sciences.

5. Did you go to graduate school or professional school after college?
About 1.5 years after graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I decided to go back to school for a masters degree in Student Affairs Administration at UW–La Crosse.

6. What did you do before you started working at the Hub?
Directly before the Hub, I was a graduate student working as an academic advisor at UW–La Crosse while also working as a residence life intern. My intern role led me to work with students in crisis.

7. What is your job at the Hub?
My primary role at the Hub is supporting students achieve in their academic and career goals. In addition to my role as advisor, I work with prospective student engagement as well as current and transfer student engagement. I do this by hosting events and managing and leading tours for students. Recently we have done some pretty exciting things, like offering tours that show our buildings and research labs, hosting a Study Day event, and increasing major-related swag for current students.

8. What do you enjoy most about advising undergraduates?
There are a lot of things I enjoy about advising undergraduate students. The first is seeing what students are passionate about. The second is helping students find classes, majors, and jobs related to that passion. And the third is seeing the growth and increased maturity of students throughout their time in school.

9. What advice would you give to a student declaring a major?
Take the time to research the major, look at the curriculum, read course descriptions, and look at possible career paths. Often, students believe a specific major gets them to a specific career and that is not necessarily the case. There are many pathways to get to a career.

10. What advice would you give to students who aren’t sure what they want to do after they graduate?
When a student tells me they are exploring options for their future, I tell them the more experiences they have, the closer they are to finding out what job/career or event major could be the best fit. Participating in activities like Peer Mentor Programs, Volunteering at Morgridge Center for Public Service, research experiences, and student jobs on campus that can all help narrow down a student’s likes and dislikes when it comes to desired career or major. Personally, I tried working as an administrative assistant, zookeeper, veterinary technician, and workflow coordinator before deciding on a career path that fits my interests and skills best.

11. What do you love about Madison?
For me, Madison is a good fit because it’s close — but not too close — to my family. I also love having a variety of food options. I enjoy the food carts on State Street during the summer and the Stella Bread sold at the Dane County Farmers Market. Even the beautiful views of the lakes can bring peace or pure joy. If you are interested in exploring Lake Mendota, check out Hoofers!

The Quick 5

Favorite movie: One of my favorite movies is The Holidate on Netflix.
Favorite book: Don’t quite have a favorite book, but I am reading The Fourth Wing series right now.
Favorite food: My favorite food is the strawberry vanilla cream cake from Olive Garden.
Favorite age so far: There is really no favorite age, every age is important in developing and growing yourself. I try to live in the present and make the most of the here and now.
Favorite hobbies: I really enjoy reading romance books, camping with family, and also arts and crafts.