By Jayden Sandoval ‘29, staff writer
From sitting in the classroom to now standing at the front of it, a college alumnus now enters her second year of teaching the First-Year Experience Companion course at LVC.
Megan Finlan is a 2021 graduate from Lebanon Valley College with a Bachelor of Arts in English. During her time at LVC as a student she was an editor-in-chief of La Vie, math and writing tutor, and a Valley Ambassador. Being a tour guide when she was a student inspired her to go into higher education, now holding the title of associate director of admissions and an instructor for the companion of the First-Year Experience (FYE-C).
As a student, Finlan found the course beneficial in setting her up to know what resources to find and where to find them at LVC. As an instructor of the course, she enjoys connecting with and getting to know her students.
Finlan believes there have been changes within the college since she was a student. More programs and new buildings are leaning more into the health science departments of the college. Which she believes are great opportunities offered by LVC.
“If you try things don’t be afraid to try and fail or try and decide that it’s not for you,” Finlan said. “Things that don’t bring you joy, don’t feel like you have to keep doing them.”
Finlan is a firm believer of trying things out even if one thing won’t work, because that is the process students have to follow throughout college. She entered LVC, as a pre-law student and didn’t like it, until she tried something new and figured out, she found enjoyment from being an English major.
“I think the way that the companion course is structured gives students much more of a detailed overview of what can be utilized,” Finlan said. “Being able to know what resources are available without having to dig for them, I think is valuable from the course.”
Like Finlan, one of her former students, Karmia Scotland, also believes that the course gave her the resources and people to go to when in need of help.
“The course helped me in asking for help from resources, and to go to other people when I wasn’t getting useful assistance,” Scotland said. “That class referred me to CASE (Center for Academic Success and Exploration) which they were super helpful.”
Scotland looked forward to the class each week because it ended on a good note with having discussions with other students and the snacks Finlan provided the class with. Scotland still visits Finlan and checks in with her to see how she is doing periodically.
If Finlan could say something to her first-year self she would say, “It’s okay to not have the rest of your life figured out.”
This is something Finlan empathizes when she speaks with students that are confused and overwhelmed about not having plans for post-graduation.
“I hope my students remember I was hopefully fun! But also hope that after class ends, my students know I don’t just disappear, email me, pop into my office and sit in my bean bag chair, and eat my snacks,” Finlan said.
Now with Finlan being in her second year of teaching the FYE companion course, she hopes that future FYE companion instructors don’t become afraid of silence in the class.
“Don’t be scared if it doesn’t click right away,” Finlan said.
Her first class was quiet, and she was scared about students not liking her afterwards. But giving students time to warm up and taking the time to get to know them structured her enjoyment in teaching the first-year experience companion course.
"I can’t wait to see, in three years when my first FYE class is walking across the stage at graduation. I can be like, that was my first FYE! I’m going to feel like a proud mom!”