U.P. Scholars Program Staff

Megan grew up in Houghton Lake, Michigan, a small town three hours north of Ann Arbor. As an undergraduate student on our campus, she began to realize how her experiences growing up up north shaped her pathway to and through campus in unique ways. These personal experiences first sparked her passion for building bridges between rural communities and higher education, and she focused her undergraduate thesis research and graduate studies on supporting rural student access and success. Megan currently serves as the Co-President for the NACAC Rural and Small Town Special Interest Group.

Megan previously worked as an Academic Advisor for first-year students in the College of Engineering where she led efforts to support first-generation college students. Prior to that, she was an Admissions Counselor in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions where she was the Admissions Counselor for Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. In this role, she traveled throughout the U.P. to recruit students and build relationships with school counselors, local alumni, and students to encourage them to apply to the University of Michigan and support them through the application and matriculation process.

Megan is a two-time alumna of the University of Michigan receiving both her M.A. in Higher Education with a concentration in Student Access and Success from the Marsal School of Education and her B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with High Honors from the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. 

Outside of work, Megan is obsessed with her dog Chance, the Office, and she feels most at peace when she outdoors and enjoying nature.

Collyn grew up in Barbecue, North Carolina, a small farming community in the southeastern part of the state. During his undergraduate experience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he developed a passion for supporting low-income and rural students through his advocacy work in student government, particularly around issues of affordability and access. These experiences, combined with his student leadership roles with UNC’s New Student and Family Programs, led him to a career in student support.

Professionally, Collyn is most interested in creating environments within higher education where rural students not only feel a sense of belonging, but are empowered to thrive.

Prior to joining the University of Michigan, Collyn worked with UNC Chapel Hill’s New Student and Family Programs as a Family Programs Specialist and served as a Senior Administrative Associate at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Through these roles, he developed critical skills to support students from diverse backgrounds throughout their higher education journeys.

Collyn earned his bachelor’s degree in Public Policy with a concentration in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his master’s degree in Higher Education, with a concentration in Management and Organizations, from the University of Michigan’s Marsal Family School of Education.

Outside of work, Collyn is always engaged in some kind of creative project. Ask him what he’s working on—he promises there’s always more than one.