Desireé is our Director of Student Success & Advising. A passionate student advocate, Desireé helps students set and reach their academic and career goals. Her skills are honed by her work in higher education, as well as the sports and entertainment industries.
Desireé earned both her degrees from Michigan State: A Bachelor of Fine Art in Graphic Design and Photography and a Master of Arts in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she spent half a year studying and traveling in Italy, providing her a deep understanding of culture and art abroad. Before joining the Burgess Institute, she provided student mentorship services, coordinated undergraduate student outreach and engagement, and oversaw social media strategy within the MSU neighborhoods.
In addition to supporting students as they persist toward graduation, Desireé teaches a course in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at MSU – "A Sprint Through the Entrepreneurial Mindset." It covers topics such as starting a business, changing the world through social innovation, and innovating within an established company while teaching the skills to make students set apart after graduation. In addition to her current role, Desireé is the Staff Advisor to MSU Future Leaders in Sports and Entertainment (FLISE) – a student organization, founded in 2007, which is focused on career development and connecting students to professionals in sports and entertainment industries.