Erin Reid

What year did you start working at NIU?
2008

Where is your hometown? and where do you live now?
Hometown: DeKalb; current city: DeKalb.

Select your affiliated college/division
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

In what department do you work?
CLAS Advising

Where did you attend school? What degree(s) did you earn?
I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in sociology at NIU.

Describe your typical day—what do you do while at work?
My typical day involves meeting with students in all majors across the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. I help students with course selection, short- and long-term academic planning, preparing for graduation and much more.

What do you like about working at NIU?
I love our students! In my role I get to meet students from diverse backgrounds, each with a unique story of how they arrived at NIU and what they hope to achieve. It is such a privilege to be a part of their NIU experience; to witness their growth and development as a college student and individual from orientation through graduation. It's rewarding.

What advice would you give to students currently attending NIU?
Get to know your advisors, professors and peers and ask for help when you need it. Everyone around you is your support system, whether you realize it or not, and we're happy to help.

What is your favorite campus event?
Homecoming! I'm a big Huskie football fan, so anytime I go to a game and cheer on our team is super fun.

In what ways do you see your colleagues help foster student success?
In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, we have a large student body, but my colleagues do an amazing job of serving all of our students' needs every semester.

What is your favorite memory of NIU?
Every graduation ceremony is memorable. Celebrating the accomplishments of our students is a point of pride and one of the many reasons I do what I do.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
I didn't really know what I wanted to do for a living, not even while I was a student at NIU. That changed when I was halfway through my graduate program, when I started working as an admissions counselor at NIU. I realized I could have a career in higher education, so after five years in admissions, I moved to advising, and I can't imagine doing anything else!

What do you do to relax or recharge?
I love to roller skate and jog. I played roller derby in Rockford and DeKalb for several years but retired after a knee injury, so now I just skate for fun. When I'm not on skates, I enjoy participating in 5K runs with family and friends.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your NIU Huskie story?
As a DeKalb native and lifelong Huskie, I consider NIU like a second home.