Katie Calfee McDaniel Returns to BU
Photo provided by Rampage student photographer Nathan LePere.
Once a student at Bluefield University from 2016-2109, Katie Calfee McDaniel is back at BU to serve students as the coordinator of student care.
Originally from Tazewell, Virginia, McDaniel came to Bluefield to study business management. While a student, she was president of Alpha Delta sorority and a student representative on the Alumni Board for two years. She was also involved in a variety of activities supporting the Business Department, but what she said she enjoyed most was how close everyone was and how easy it was to make friends. Now that she’s a member of the Student Development staff, she said she hopes to facilitate that same relationship development with current BU students.
After graduating from Bluefield, McDaniel moved from Tazewell, Virginia, to South Carolina to start her career, but while she was there her younger brother passed away despite a valiant battle against cancer. McDaniel admitted that after her brother’s passing she was “not good mentally” and wanted to come back home. So she did.
“I initially wanted to be closer to my family in our time of grief, but I also just felt closer to him when I was home,” McDaniel said. “It made sense in the period of my life that I was in to move back home, and I am glad that I did.”
After moving back, McDaniel started working in Tazewell as a manager of a retail store. She later became the assistant manager of Back of the Dragon, a retail stop on a popular motorcycle enthusiasts’ riding adventure on Route 16 in Tazewell County. More importantly, while back home she met her husband to be, Trey McDaniel, and after marrying Trey she moved to Bluefield where she also decided to look for work. The work she found just happened to be at her alma mater, Bluefield University.
“Everything aligned with family, and the hours were good,” McDaniel said. “At first it was a little daunting, trying to navigate life as an alumna as well as a new employee, but once I got into the groove of things all the worry went away and it has been nothing but excitement.”
As the coordinator of student care, McDaniel is primarily responsible for planning student engagement activities, such as Wednesdays in the Quad, Welcome Week, and student activities for Homecoming. She also provides administrative support for Student Development by managing the student mailroom, supervising student work studies, and serving as an administrative assistant for the Student Development making sure students are comfortable bringing any issues they may have to the Student Development team.
“I think my favorite part that I have come to love has been meeting and interacting with students,” McDaniel said. “Whether they work for me or just come in to grab their package or are a part of the student leadership team, I have loved getting to know and make a connection with the students.”
McDaniel said her goals in this new role are to grow spiritually and to get to know everyone and their names.