Bumgardner Leads UNC Charlotte Students to Success
By Teagan Welch, Assistant Director of Communications for Student Affairs
Lance Bumgardner is only a few short weeks away from graduating, but is making an impact on the University before he transitions from student to alumnus.
During his time at Charlotte, Bumgardner has taken on numerous leadership roles. From orientation counselor, to new member educator in his fraternity, to his current role in Transition & Success Initiatives (TSI), Bumgardner is no stranger to getting involved on campus.
“I started [at Charlotte] during the pandemic and I had a lot of free time so I started joining clubs,” he said. “I really enjoy meeting new people and connecting with them so joining these organizations was a great way to do that.”
In his position as transition and belonging coordinator with TSI, Bumgardner takes on a wide variety of responsibilities. The main focus is helping first-year and transfer students have a successful and smooth transition into the University. But sometimes that mentality seeps into his personal life.
“My friends will talk to me about a problem they are having and I will tell them about resources on campus that can help with those issues,” Bumgardner said. “It’s like once you go through the training for these different positions, it’s in your brain forever.”
Bumgardner has made his mark at Charlotte. He’s had a hands-on impact in major University events like First-Generation Celebration Week and Gold Rush. He also planned a Niner Pride parade, with the idea to use the event to promote TSI-sponsored events like Family Weekend.
“We were passing out a bag full of Charlotte swag one day, and I decided to make a QR code where you could register for Family Weekend and I put that QR code in every bag," he said.
That decision ended up doubling the number of registrants for Family Weekend. For Bumgardner, it was a validating moment.
“It felt great to see that,” Bumgardner said. “It was like, ‘OK, this worked!’”
Bumgardner said his role in TSI has given him the tools to continue to grow and learn in a leadership setting.
“Putting together a plan for an event is one thing, but how it's executed is always up to you, which is a really great thing to be a part of,” he said. “It has given me confidence which is really fulfilling.”