Meet The Staff: Branden Delk

Wondering who works in the Office of Admissions? Well #FutureRedbird, the ‘Meet the Staff’ series is your chance! This week’s staff member is one of our Admissions Counselors, Branden Delk!

This is Branden!

Branden Delk is an Admissions Counselor in the Office of Admissions at Illinois State University. He is from Bolingbrook, IL and is one of the office's new Admission Counselors (as well as Katie!) He has two dogs: a 10-year-old Chihuahua named Maisie and a 7-year-old bulldog-boxer mix named Ernest. Branden has worked in higher education for over 10 years because of his passion for working with college students and helping them reach their goals. As a result, Branden has continuously applied his knowledge and expertise towards guiding prospective ISU students through the admission process and our office would not be the same without him!

Why is Branden the man?

1. He’s got a solid education:

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•B.S. in Business Marketing, Eastern Illinois University

•M.S. in Communication Studies, Northern Illinois University

2. His hobbies are on point:

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•Film buff (frequently watches older films)

•Plays euchre

•Restaurant connoisseur

3. His favorite Blo-No (Bloomington-Normal) food place is…

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Anand India Restaurant!

But wait! There's more!

Why did you choose EIU?

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"EIU at the time had a small student population and small class sizes. I wanted to be more than just a number at a university and I wanted more hands on attention."

(Although ISU has a student body population of about 20,000 students, our average class size is about 33 students. With small class sizes at ISU, professors usually know their students by name and develop strong teacher-student bonds as well!)

What is the most interesting course you took during undergrad?

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“One interesting course I took was my Weather and Climate class. We studied tornadoes and other natural disasters, but the coolest aspect was our labs where we “created chaos” based on information we learned in class and using everyday household items. Another interesting course was my market research class because we were able to do research projects for real companies.”

(By the way, ISU offers many courses similar to what Branden took during undergrad. For example we have “GEO 207: Weather and Natural Hazards” in comparison to his Weather and Climate class. Besides that, we have a wide array of business marketing courses such as “MKT 223: Foundations Of Integrated Marketing Communication” as well!)

What is your favorite memory while in undergrad?

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“Hanging out with my friends…whether it was in our student union or in the dorms. Another favorite memory of mine was when I won the American Marketing Association Student of The Year award.”

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“I definitely wish I studied abroad.”

How did college prepare/help you to be successful in your career?

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“College prepared me for the world of work in regards to establishing a strong work ethic. I was a full-time student, but I also worked part-time and was involved in many organizations, so a specific skill I developed was time management.”

What does a typical weekday as an Admissions Counselor entail?

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“There are days that are heavily scheduled, but there are also times where spontaneous moments arise. This could be anything from walk-in appointments to answering questions that are not normally asked. The greatest thing about answering those types of questions though is that the student and I are able to learn more about certain programs or features that ISU has to offer.”

What is your favorite aspect of the job?

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“The spontaneity of it all. Especially how I am able to speak to a variety of students and families and hear their stories.”

What should students should choose Illinois State University?

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“I feel students should choose ISU as their college destination because ISU has a very prestigious reputation that produces students who are career-ready, social change agents who care about their work. They genuinely care about their profession and others that serve in it. I also feel that the environment here is really tailored to the student, and that you are unique in your own way. We all want you to professionally grow here through the opportunities available to all Redbirds.”

What is the best piece of advice you can give for a student already coming to Illinois State?

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“Don’t get discouraged when you don’t make a bunch of friends in the first few days. Stay positive, stay open, and remember that making new friends will come and it takes a little time. Take advantage of the opportunities available in the community–go to Festival ISU, don’t be closed off, and don’t close yourself off either.”

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“I was ordained online and officiated both of my sister-in-law’s weddings.”

Let's give it up for Branden!

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Blown away by the amazing facts about Branden? Comment below and then share this #MeetTheStaff article with your friends!