Alum named outstanding new professional by PCPA

Bryson Purcell ’17/19M, a graduate of Bloomsburg University’s College Student Affairs master’s program, was recently announced as the winner of the Outstanding New Professional award from the Pennsylvania College Personnel Association (PCPA). This award is presented to an ACPA/PCPA member who has made a significant contribution to higher education and has been employed in the student personnel field for less than five years.

“I was shocked when I heard I won,” Purcell says. “I’m honored to be recognized for the hard work we’ve all been putting in through this past year. Adapting to the online environment while continuing to provide the best support to students isn’t an easy task.”

His time at Bloomsburg is what brought him to love the idea of working with college students. He held a position as one of the Husky Orientation and Welcome Leaders, which initially sparked his interest. His love only progressed as he went through his classes and eventually into the College Student Affairs program.

“After my first experience with our traditional summer orientation programming, I immediately applied for a position as an admissions tour guide so I could continue working with future students all year long, not just during the summer,” Purcell says. “During that time, I found some incredible mentors in both New Student Orientation and Undergraduate Admissions, who encouraged me to pursue my graduate degree in College Student Affairs. One being my former supervisor, Dr. Kristin Austin who is taking the lead of PCPA as the president.”

Purcell enjoyed his time in the CSA master’s program and even got hands-on experience as a graduate assistant in multiple departments on campus which only furthered his passion for his career.

“I really enjoyed the CSA program,” Purcell says. “The faculty were extremely passionate about their subject areas and are always looking for ways to push you to be the best you can be. I was able to hold GA positions in New Student Orientation, Department of Teaching and Learning, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Office of Graduate Admissions.”

Now, he’ going to be serving as the president-elect on the PCPA executive board. He’ll support the president in their absence and train executive board members and committee chairs. Prior to this position, he was the chair of the New Professionals and Graduate Students Community of Practice since 2019. He transitioned to president-elect on March 1, 2021 and will hold this position for a year before he becomes president next March.

Bloomsburg’s CSA program really helped to prepare Purcell for the job search ahead of him once he graduated.

“The fact I was able to complete GA positions in both enrollment management as well as student affairs really gave me a competitive edge when it came time for the job search,” Purcell says “I really enjoyed the fact the CSA program combines aspects of leadership, counseling, experiential learning, and room for students to choose elective courses that directly relate to their interests.”