Assistant Director & Health Professions Advisor
Originating from Rochester, New York, Felicia (she/her/hers) attended Allegheny College located in Northwest Pennsylvania as a first-generation student where she studied psychology and biology and played college softball. She moved on to DePaul University where she obtained her Masters of Education in Counseling with a focus in college student development and recently obtained her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership. While in graduate school she held positions in leadership development, athletics advising and diversity, equity & inclusion.
Prior to joining Health Professions Advising, Felicia served as the Director of Student Development within Northwestern University Department of Athletics and Recreation, overseeing leadership, education, wellness and transition programming for the 19 varsity sports and academically advising student-athletes. Prior to this role she served as the Assistant Director of Advising for the Biological Sciences Department at DePaul University.
She spends her spare time with her wife and two kids (Avery & Addi), walking their dog, Bernice, (aka Bernie), and playing slow pitch softball!
Research Interests:
My research interests focus on better understanding the work environment and experiences of professional staff in higher education who support students. I am particularly interested in exploring job burnout and the antecedents (or causes) of job burnout. Through this work, I aim to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of higher education institutions as workplaces and advocate for practices that enhance the professional experiences and well-being of those dedicated to student support.
Publications:
O’Rourke F. (2024). Understanding athletics academic advisors’ experience with job burnout. NACADA Journal, 44(2), 137–148. https://doi.org/10.12930/NACADA-24-07