From Blue-Collar Dreams to Campus Leader: Austin Morgan’s Journey at Westfield State

Austin Morgan, a finance major and economics minor from the Class of 2025, also currently serves as the Vice President of Finance for the Student Government Association (SGA) at Westfield State University. But Morgan’s journey to leadership and campus involvement wasn’t always part of his plan.

Growing up, he envisioned himself in a blue-collar career and was eventually persuaded to pursue higher education, which led him to Westfield State. In 2021, while COVID-19 still heavily influenced colleges and universities throughout the country, Morgan decided to drive through Westfield State’s campus and described falling in love with how tranquil and scenic it was.

“The campus was absolutely beautiful,” he recalled. “The facilities itself were gorgeous, and that’s what really captivated me was the landscape of it all… how open it was, what it had to offer, and this influenced my decision to attend.”

Affordability also played a key role in Morgan’s choice, allowing him to focus on his academics and extracurricular activities. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and a “rocky start” to his undergraduate career, such as remote learning and social distancing, Morgan nevertheless found solace in the supportive environment created by his peers and professors.

“The people at Westfield State captivated me,” Morgan shared. “I thought I would find my home here, and then it turned out that the people were my home and not just this beautiful campus. Every interaction I’ve ever had with faculty and staff has been a positive experience.”

Even when an appendectomy kept him off campus last year, Morgan received ample support from his professors, enabling him to stay on top of his coursework. That sense of community only served to reinforce his decision to attend the University and encouraged him to further pursue student leadership roles, including becoming an orientation leader and serving on the Campus Activities and Student Conduct Boards.

This year, Morgan’s dedication to the campus community was recently recognized when he was awarded the 2024 Northeast Ken M. Bedini Student Leader Award from the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA), a moment he describes as shocking. “I was beside myself,” he said. “When Matt Dellea, Director of the Student Activities, Involvement, and Leadership, met with us at SGA, he began talking about a hardworking student and all they’ve accomplished, and I didn’t think it was me at all. When I was announced, I almost cried. My heart was beating so fast. It was very surprising, but also very appreciated. No one ever thinks it’s ever them, and with the things Matt was saying, it just feels like second nature.”

After growing up with four other siblings, Morgan is familiar with the idea of inclusivity and emphasizes how important it is to make others feel welcome and at ease. “Being in a large household taught me never to judge a book by its cover. Don’t ever take people for granted—that’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my life.”

This summer, Morgan interned at Hollister Group, Inc., a staffing agency in Boston, where he performed general financial tasks for staff that also bordered on human resources, which he immediately felt drawn to. “Having the SGA experience where I’m interacting with different people and grappling with the things they’re going through, and then working over the summer and doing everything in a professional setting really helped me to realize this is something I’m good at. I like working with a diverse group of people, and this is definitely something I could do for the rest of my life if I had to choose. I think I would like to be a benefits coordinator or something similar to that.

Reflecting on his time at Westfield State, Morgan credits his father’s advice for shaping his outlook on campus and academic responsibilities. “My dad always told me, ‘If you’re going to do something, do it all the way.’ Every opportunity here is what you make of it. Westfield State has the potential to change lives, as it changed mine. It’s made me a better person, and interacting with amazing people here has made me want to strive to be better in my personal, professional, and everyday life.”

Morgan has similar advice for students looking to go into student leadership positions on campus, urging them to pursue opportunities that will help develop a sense of community, growth, and confidence. He cited a moment in leadership training where students are taught about “lollipop moments”, or events that positively affect another’s experience. After being told by two separate people that he was their lollipop moment, Morgan knew being a student leader had been the right decision, as it offered him the chance to expand his personal horizons while also acting as a catalyst for others.

“Being a student leader has tested every quality I tell myself that I have,” he explained. “It’s tested my patience, persistence, and my ability to fly and adapt to new situations. I think student leadership brings out the best in every single person, and you’ll meet so many amazing people. Some may come up to you a year later and say, ‘I look up to you, and I want to be just like you’, and then you’ll know it was all worth it."

Morgan will officially receive his award on October 26 at the NACA Providence Conference at the Rhode Island Convention Center.