Dr. Felicia O’Rourke (Gowanlock) ’12 found her calling in student development on the softball field.
“The softball program, and specifically my years as a captain, showed me that I wanted a career where I could continue working with the college student population during these formative years of life,” notes O’Rourke. “This program instilled in me that we are only as good as the team around us, and the coaches who lead us – a belief I still hold today.”
O’Rourke also credits her advisors, emerita professors of psychology, Debra Dickey and Patricia Rutledge, for supporting her as a first-generation student.
To be incredibly transparent, I struggled academically early on at Allegheny, as a first-generation college student, I did not have the contextual knowledge of navigating college like my peers did,” reflects O’Rourke. “Allegheny helped me sail through my master’s program with a 4.0 and showed me much of my dissertation process in my Ph.D. was not too far off from what I did in my senior year at Allegheny. The academic preparation at Allegheny cannot be matched.
After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology, O’Rourke pursued a master’s degree in education with a focus on counseling and college student development from DePaul University.
As a graduate student, O’Rourke secured graduate assistant positions that provided experience in student leadership development and later in student-athlete advising. Once she completed her master’s degree, O’Rourke was offered a position at Northwestern University that focused on mentoring student-athletes.
She later earned a doctoral degree in educational leadership and has shifted to advising pre-health students at Northwestern University, where she either provides one-on-one guidance or offers programs to support their aspirations for medical school.
Having navigated college as a first-generation student, O’Rourke is committed to creating the best experience for students so they can thrive and make an impact beyond their college career.
For current students at Allegheny College, she advises, “If you are a first-generation student or find yourself struggling with coursework or life direction in any way, leverage the faculty and staff at Allegheny. These mentors are your best advocates. If it wasn’t for the help of all these staff, I would not be where I am today.”
