The Office of Student Success and Development is here for you from the moment you register for your first class until you receive your diploma. When you get accepted, you are paired with a coordinator who can assist you with overcoming personal barriers or just answer your questions. We often help students with navigating SUNY Empire systems and procedures, getting connected to resources, and understanding how to work best with your mentor. We offer workshops throughout every term, and you can learn more about those on our website. In addition to our coordinators, we want you to get to know some of our “behind the scenes” team members who keep our office running smoothly. Some of these staff members you may speak with for assistance.  Others, like Audra Buchanan, you hear from daily and probably don’t even know it. Audra is responsible for the communications and emails we send out. She works hard to make sure you have the information you need to be set up for success at SUNY Empire.  

 

Meet Audra Buchanan, Administrative Assistant I for Student Success Initiatives 

 

Background info: 
I live in Malone, NY. I’ve been married to my husband for 21 years and we have a beautiful 16-year-old daughter. I’ve been working for New York State for 18 years. I love doing community theater, playing video games, and hanging with my family, which includes our two cats, LuLu and Crowley, and our dog, Lucy. 

How long have you been working here? 
I’ve been with SUNY Empire since December 2017, so it will be five years this December. 

Where are you located? 
I started working out of our Plattsburgh unit until March 2020 due to COVID-19 and I have been remote at home ever since. 

What’s your favorite part of your job? 
Helping people solve problems.  

If you were a potato, how would you like to be cooked? 
Oh, definitely mashed so I can do “The Mashed Potato,” lol. 

What is a fun fact you’d like to share? 
I’ve been working with computers since I was 9 years old, thanks to my dad who was in the Air Force who worked on mainframes. 

What is a piece of advice that you would share with a student? 
When in doubt, ASK! There are no silly questions, and you can’t learn if you don’t ask.