By: Claire Quigle

Happy “Where Do You Work” Wednesday, Hawkeyes! Meet alumna Angie Bong (MA ‘07 Student Development and Postsecondary Education). The Student Development Program was later transformed into the Higher Education and Student Affairs Program.

Bong has worked as the Associate Executive Director of Member Services for Alpha Sigma Tau National Sorority for 6 years. Before assuming that position, Bong spent the previous 14 years working student affairs-type roles at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She is originally from Madison, Wisconsin.

No matter the job, Bong feels that the University of Iowa College of Education helped train her for it all.

“The time I spent at Iowa was invaluable in preparing me for all the roles I've had over the course of my career,” Bong says. “The academic rigor and the course content were among the best; the student development program was regarded so highly and I was certainly prepared well from an academic perspective.”

In addition to the course work, Bong says the people she met while at the university made her experience stand out even more.

“Liz Whitt, Deb Liddell, Sherry Watt, Bill Nelson (OSL), and numerous others - in addition to my awesome cohort of classmates,” Weiss says. They all truly role-modeled what they expected from us as students and aspiring professionals, they challenged me and encouraged me to challenge myself, and they were always so supportive.”

In her current position, Bong feels she has a great balance of getting to work on strategy, execution, and member coaching and development. She is responsible for helping to operationalize the strategic goals and priorities of the organization.

“I love the challenge of that work, and helping others see how they contribute to the advancement of the organization,” Bong says. “I also work directly with two collegiate chapters, so I still get that hands-on coaching and mentoring that drew me to the field in the first place.”

While at Iowa, Bong made several connections that have helped her since graduating.

“I met my current supervisor - Jim Paponetti - while at Iowa,” Bong says. “He was working for Sigma Lambda Gamma and Sigma Lambda Beta at the time and volunteering as an advisor for a few chapters in the Fraternity and Sorority Life Community. Ten years after meeting him, and eight years after graduating - he hired me!”

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