Meghan Bird's desire for a career she is passionate about with great employment opportunities has brought her from Canada to Central New York.
Bird is a native of Hamilton, Ontario about 45 miles west of Niagara Falls. She earned a college degree in Canada while majoring in Recreation & Leisure. She began her professional career as a junior sports coordinator for the Boys & Girls Club of London, Ontario. When opportunities to advance didn't materialize, she shifted gears and became a driving instructor before deciding to work in construction. She eventually landed in sales, and then began exploring other possibilities.
"I wanted to switch careers, I wanted something that was both stable and new and exciting. I started doing research and I realized X-ray had always been exciting for me. I started looking into different programs and I learned about Upstate Medical University. I realized I could get my prerequisites here, then transfer there."
One year ago Bird enrolled in Onondaga Community College's Health Sciences degree program. Her goal was to finish in a year-and-a-half, so she took classes year-round. Her strong performance in the classroom earned her membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
She was selected to be a member of the Student Advisory Board for OCC's School of Health, Wellness & Human Services. "My School has been very supportive of me, especially my Navigator Katie Komuda who is great."
This semester she is a tutor at the Learning Center where she helps students with Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Terminology, English, and Public Speaking. She is also a member of Student Government, serving as the Chair for Outreach & External Affairs. "I really like creating events that help build community. It's what my first college degree is in. It's nice to utilize that again."
Bird will complete her degree this summer. She hopes to transfer to SUNY Upstate Medical University where her goal is to become an MRI Technician.
