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Description
Oral history interview with Illinois State University alum Paige Buschman, Class of 2019. The interview was conducted on July 14, 2022 by Ryan Cox, at the time an undergraduate student at Illinois State University.
Buschman, who uses she/her or they/them pronouns, was drawn to ISU's graduate program in College Student Personnel Administration (CSPA) due to its reputation and convenience, as she was already familiar with the Bloomington-Normal area from her undergraduate years at Illinois Wesleyan University. They recount their academic journey, initially pursuing a double major in English and biology at Wesleyan but eventually finding their passion in sociology, which led them to focus on CSPA. Buschman discusses her involvement in various aspects of campus life at ISU, including her role as a house director for the sorority Tri Sigma (Sigma Sigma Sigma), which she took on in addition to her graduate assistantship responsibilities.
Buschman also mentions Grad Days, a program facilitating graduate assistantships at ISU, where they ultimately secured a position at the Center for Civic Engagement, and describe their rewarding experience as an AmeriCorps member, emphasizing its relevance to their current role at the Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development. She contrasts ISU's larger, more diverse campus community with her previous experience at Wesleyan.
Discussing their identity as a queer woman, Paige acknowledges challenges in finding community at ISU, primarily due to their graduate student status and the lack of tailored spaces. Despite this, she formed close relationships within her cohort and remained involved with LGBTQIA+ advocacy through Wesleyan's Pride Alumni community. Buschman expresses gratitude towards influential professors, including Phyllis McCluskey-Titus and Gavin Weiser, and shares both positive and negative experiences with teaching.
Transitioning to their career journey, Buschman discusses their initial job search post-graduation, which led them to a position in career services at Illinois Central College. She describes her role in assisting diverse populations with job readiness and teaching in a GED Bridge Program. Eventually, they moved to their current role at ISU where they support graduate students in community and economic development. Buschman expresses satisfaction with being able to contribute to improving the lives of others and mentions her transition from a more capitalist-oriented environment to one focused on meaningful service. They also reflect on the value of their education at Illinois State University, particularly the connections they built and the practical experience they gained through applied learning.
Index
- Introduction; decision to attend ISU: 00:00-01:54
- Undergraduate experience at IWU; pursuing a graduate degree in CSPA at ISU: 01:54-08:14; 09:53-10:43
- Differences between IWU and ISU: 08:14-09:44; 31:29-36:01
- Working as house director at Tri Sigma: 10:43-14:26; 16:07-25:07
- Financing higher education: 14:26-16:07
- Graduate assistantship with Center for Civic Engagement; AmeriCorps membership: 25:07-31:29
- Campus events and national news: 36:01-38:24
- Difficulty finding queer community: 38:24-42:41
- Influential faculty: 42:41-45:59
- Applying for jobs after graduation; working for ICC: 45:59-52:10
- Position at ISU’s Stevenson Center: 52:10-58:02
- Reflecting on connections built at ISU: 00:58:02-1:00:09
Interview Date
7-14-2022
Index
- Introduction; decision to attend ISU: 00:00-01:54
- Undergraduate experience at IWU; pursuing a graduate degree in CSPA at ISU: 01:54-08:14; 09:53-10:43
- Differences between IWU and ISU: 08:14-09:44; 31:29-36:01
- Working as house director at Tri Sigma: 10:43-14:26; 16:07-25:07
- Financing higher education: 14:26-16:07
- Graduate assistantship with Center for Civic Engagement; AmeriCorps membership: 25:07-31:29
- Campus events and national news: 36:01-38:24
- Difficulty finding queer community: 38:24-42:41
- Influential faculty: 42:41-45:59
- Applying for jobs after graduation; working for ICC: 45:59-52:10
- Position at ISU’s Stevenson Center: 52:10-58:02
- Reflecting on connections built at ISU: 00:58:02-1:00:09
Recommended Citation
Buschman, Paige, "Interview with Paige Buschman, Class of 2019" (2019). Alumni Oral Histories. 42.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/aoh/42
Comments
The transcript of this interview has been lightly edited in service of readability and to reflect the interviewee’s intentions.