Orange Pride: Lori Burgan

For more than eight years, one of the first people many OSU-Tulsa visitors see has been Lori Burgan.

Burgan is positioned front and center at the OSU-Tulsa Information Center in North Hall and serves as program specialist in support of events. In this job, she gets to see most of the people who visit campus during her shift.

“That’s really what I like, is the big variety of people,” Burgan said. “It’s not just students, but it’s mostly the public I get to interact with. It’s kind of fun.”

Burgan plays a vital role on campus by helping people find what they’re looking for. It’s her job to answer questions from those who call the main campus switchboard and to guide campus visitors to their destinations.

“I don’t always have the answers,” she said. “But I know where to point them to get the answers.”

The job requires people skills, organizational prowess and a genuine desire to help – all three of which describe Burgan well.

Burgan’s helpful, personable and welcoming approach to the job has earned her the Orange Pride Award for Employee Excellence. The award is presented to a member of the OSU-Tulsa staff who demonstrates outstanding customer service skills and efforts above and beyond their normal job duties.

“I try to make people feel comfortable and welcome. Because I know if I go somewhere and I don’t feel that way I don’t want to go back.”

A History of Helping

Burgan’s career has always been tied to service and education. After spending 12 years as an elementary school secretary in Bartlesville and three years as a high school secretary in Houston, she and her husband settled down in Collinsville close to nine years ago. Shortly afterwards, she applied to OSU-Tulsa.

She has kept her same position over the years, but her responsibilities have changed over time.

“A lot of it used to be booking the bus and that’s all online now,” she said. “But my favorite part of the job is still the same, which is working events.”

When eventgoers come to OSU-Tulsa from out of town, Burgan helps them park, find what they are looking for on campus and sometimes shows them where they can get lunch or lodging. 

“I like the outside events that come in where I can help them get their room set up and all that kind of stuff, and talk with them. I’ve met a lot of really neat people that way.”

Good Partnership

Since the start of her job at OSU-Tulsa, Burgan has worked closely with Travis McBride, who served as events manager for OSU-Tulsa.

“She’s a very friendly positive person that comes to work with a great attitude.” McBride said. “If she wasn’t here, I would probably drown in work.”

McBride and Burgan have been a dynamic duo at the information center, each spending a lot of time with the other coordinating on events, taking phone calls and greeting guests.

“What’s the most challenging part of the job? Besides Travis?” Burgan joked. “No, he’s one of the best parts. We work really well together. We relate on a personal level so it’s easy.”

While McBride is moving to a new position as operation manager with Facilities Management later this month, Burgan will carry on working closely with the next person coordinating events.

Sometimes life at the info center requires a fair amount of patience – but Burgan doesn’t see it that way. She is just happy to help.

“It’s such a low-key job. It really is. It’s one of those jobs you come in and deal with whatever,” she said.

“Not everyone is going to understand how things work. But people are here because they’re trying to better themselves in one way or another and they should feel comfortable doing that.”

To recommend an OSU-Tulsa staff member for the Orange Pride award, complete a nomination form. Orange Pride recipients are selected quarterly and receive a framed certificate and $100.