Dean’s Page Alumna: Michaela (Zuraff) Corley ’17, TT, Abrigo

By Ngoc Nguyen

Michaela (Zuraff) Corley ’17

Degree: B.S., textile technology with a concentration in medical textiles 

Current position/employer: implementation coordinator at Abrigo

Dean’s page: January 2016 – May 2017

Tell us about your current role:

My current role is helping financial institutions implement the software they purchased. I help walk them through the project from kickoff all the way to end-user training which helps them automate their processes. This benefits the financial institution and their customers as well. The software my company sells helps small banks and credit unions operate smoothly and more efficiently.

Other NC State/Wilson College activities: Wilson College of Textiles Student Ambassador, undergraduate research, Sigma Tau Sigma

Looking back, what was it like being a dean’s page?

I was interested in being a dean’s page because I wanted to be more involved in the Wilson College of Textiles and helping others. My favorite part of the job was getting to meet other people within the college and learning how it operates. Being a student, you do not always realize all the administrative work that goes into making the college run smoothly and my times as a dean’s page helped me gain an appreciation for that.

What did you take away from the Dean’s Page Program that helped you in your current position?

The Dean’s Page Program helped me gain skills in professionalism, organization, and time management.

What advice do you have for those who are new dean’s pages or interested in becoming one?

Learn as much as you can! Say yes to any task you are faced with and learn from it. Do not be afraid to ask questions and establish expectations for yourself and your work. Organization and time management skills go a long way and can help you with whatever job you are facing. No matter the task at hand, you should put 100% effort into it and provide the highest quality of work.

What is the funniest time or most interesting experience you had as a dean’s page?

One of the most interesting experiences I had as a dean’s page was getting to see the happy faces of all of the doctoral students who completed and passed their thesis defense. You could see how nervous they were going into it, but seeing how happy and accomplished they felt afterward was so cool to see.