Danielle Alspaugh is a Redhawk at heart and in action. She is in her ninth year at Southeast. After completing both her bachelor of science and master of arts degrees here, she decided to stay at Southeast to assume the role of associate director of admission for operations as well as coach of the Southeast Sundancers.
Coaching the Sundancers is a passion for her. She loves working with this group of talented young ladies in all aspects of their college career. Each year they strive to be one of the top 10 NCAA Division I dance teams in the country while maintaining a cumulative squad grad point average (GPA) of at least 3.0. During the 2006-2007 academic year, they met both goals, placing ninth in the nation and making a squad GPA of 3.1 while continuing to provide top quality performances cheering on the football and basketball teams. Danielle couldn't be prouder.
"I decided to coach because I wanted the current Sundancers to have the same experience I did," she said. "Being a Sundancer was the highlight of my college career. I want the current team to look back after graduation and feel the same way."
As a former Southeast Sundancer, Student Ambassador, member of Omicron Delta Kappa as well as the Child and Family Development Club, she has experienced Southeast from many different angles. She started giving tours to prospective students the summer after her freshman year and has always loved telling her story about Southeast.
"I enjoyed learning about people from all different backgrounds and what interested them in Southeast," she said. "I remember the next fall having students stop me and say 'you were my tour guide over the summer."
She worked in the Office of Admissions throughout her student career. She said she realized that she loved higher education and wanted to make a career out of helping students make one of the most important decisions of their life.
Her advice to new students is to make smart choices.
"College is a time to learn and grown as a person," she said. "Bottom line, you have to go to class to be successful. Get organized."
She said she thinks many students have the misconception that the more activities they are in the better.
"This is not always the case," she said. "You will be more respected for your strong work ethic in a few activities than just your name on paper in many."
Outside of helping students decide their futures, Danielle said she likes to travel and plans on visiting the Greek Isles with her husband this fall. Also, she recently gave birth to her son, and has taken on photography as a passion.
"Others have said it is an obsession," she said. "I want to try and capture every detail of his first year of life. It is flying by."
But what else would you expect from a little Redhawk?