Experiential Learning

About Lexie

Lexie is an alumna of Binghamton University having completed her Masters degree in Literacy Education in 2015. Her background in education and passion for career services inspire her to teach students how to use their experiences and skills in order to explore and create action plans for their futures. As the Senior Associate Director of Student Engagement and Career Readiness, Lexie focuses on efforts to engage and educate students in career services and has developed and led several strategic initiatives in this area. She leads strategy and goal setting for the following areas; career consulting and exploratory initiatives, career education and outreach, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, career preparation, career experiences and experiential education, and faculty/academic integration. She is the main author of the Career Exploration Guide and has managed several early engagement programs including Kickstart and Exploration Day. Additionally, Lexie meets with students one-on-one to support their individual needs and help them get to the next step in their career development journey.

What is your favorite thing about working at Binghamton University?
My favorite thing is how creative the students are and how passionate they are about reaching their goals. I love connecting with a student and helping them understand how their involvement and passions can translate to meaningful career choices. I also love working with our student staff that work so hard to educate and support their peers through their career development.

What was your first internship or job?
I babysat a lot but my first job was working at Aeropostale in the mall (I didn’t last long there).

What are you passionate about?
With a background in teaching, I love helping students think and engage differently with their experiences. I love the ‘lightbulb’ moment for students when something clicks and action can come from that.

What is your best piece of career or professional advice?
Never put yourself in a box. You’ll always be asked to pick a path or commit to a major, but there are so many possibilities and opportunities to use your unique experiences and skillsets in…so think beyond the box!

Achievements

Awards
Lexie has been recognized for her work supporting students at Binghamton University and for her contributions to career services at the university, state, and national levels:

• Bearcat Award for Outstanding Service and Support- 2021-2022
• SUNY Career Development Organization President’s Award for Exceptional Service- 2019-2020
• Bearcattitude Award-Binghamton University Athletics- 2018-2019
• Connections for Success-Silver Award for Excellence 3/2018
• ASPIRE- Career Leadership Collective Participant 2022

Presentations
Lexie is a leader and innovator in the career services sphere and has had the opportunity to show others her work at the following conferences:

• Career Services and Leadership Collide: Transforming Sophomore Student Engagement-12/2018 , NASPA Leadership Educators Institute
• Creating Transformative, High-Impact Career Development and Leadership Retreats-3/2018, NASPA Annual Conference
• Early Career Engagement: The Journey to Reach 100% of First Year Students- 6/2022, Career Leadership Collective
• Kickstart Your Career: A First Year Student Pre-Arrival Career Program- 3/2020, NASPA (conference cancelled due to COVID)
• Leveraging Students for Career Services Initiatives: High Impact Student Engagement, 3/2020, NASPA (conference cancelled doe to COVID)

About Chris

As the Associate Director of Experiential Education, Chris manages Fleishman’s internship team and develops cross-departmental collaborations based on High Impact Learning Practices. Chris is an active proponent of experiential education, and has spent most of his career encouraging students to take charge of their learning.

With over a decade of experience in nonprofits across the country, Chris has done just about everything you can do in an organization, from teaching, training, and mentoring to human administration, human resources, and event planning.

What is your favorite thing about working at Binghamton University?
I love the energy that our team has, and how excited we get when we learn what our students are accomplishing in both their studies and their careers.

What was your first internship or job?
My first job was delivering pizzas right here in Broome County.

What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about helping students get to the place they want to be… and helping them realize that it’s okay to not know exactly where that place is.

What is your best piece of career or professional advice?
Be open and take a chance. I would have never imagined doing half of the things I’ve done in my career, but I took the risk, took the chance, and ended up with some amazing memories and experiences. (Ask me about living in a National Park, or training Birds of Prey, or 3D printing heart valves!)

About Mike

Michael Lorusso serves as the Assistant Director of Internship Education, overseeing all aspects of the CDCI credit-bearing internship program. With a professional background in residential life, he transitioned into career services to deepen his impact on student success and professional development through experiential learning.

In his role, Michael partners closely with students throughout the full internship lifecycle from exploration and application to reflection and assessment. He provides individualized advising to help students identify and secure internships, addresses concerns with internship sites as they arise, and teaches the Professional Internship Program course (CDCI 395), ensuring that students’ experiences are academically rigorous, reflective, and aligned with their career goals.

Michael is deeply committed to the ongoing growth and quality of the credit-bearing internship program. He actively builds and maintains relationships with employers, conducts internship site evaluations, collaborates with campus partners, and uses data-informed practices to strengthen program outcomes. Through this work, he helps ensure that CDCI internships remain high-impact learning experiences that meaningfully connect academic learning with professional practice.

What is your favorite thing about working at Binghamton University?

My favorite part of working at Binghamton University is the opportunity to support a wide range of students as they navigate their college experience and prepare for life after graduation. Through my work at the Fleishman Center, I get to help students explore internship opportunities, gain hands-on experience across different industries, and build the confidence and skills they need to take the next step in their careers. Being part of that growth and watching students turn uncertainty into clarity is the most rewarding part of my role.

What was your first internship or job?

My first job was as a ride operator at Quassy Amusement Park, a family-owned amusement park in Connecticut, where I learned the importance of customer service, responsibility, and teamwork early on. My first internship was with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, an experience that gave me valuable insight into what full-time professional work looks like as a college student. That experience helped shape my understanding of workplace expectations, accountability, and professional growth.

What are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about helping students develop strong career management skills and supporting their professional growth through experiential learning. Beyond my work in career development, I have a strong interest in investing and entrepreneurship. During my spare time, I enjoy staying active and can often be found playing pick-up tennis or volleyball. I also love spending time outdoors hiking and traveling.

What is your best piece of career or professional advice?

Never be afraid to speak up and advocate for yourself; ask questions, seek feedback, and take ownership of your goals. The students and professionals who grow the most are those who are proactive about their learning, communicate their interests clearly, and are willing to step outside their comfort zone to pursue opportunities.

About Trish

As the Experiential Education Assistant for the Fleishman credit-bearing internship program, Trish addresses inquiries about the CDCI program, registers students in CDCI 200 and 395 courses, works through registration conflicts with students, and facilitates the completion of all forms, agreements, and evaluations throughout the internship process.

Trish graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in English and has a background in academic and trade publishing. She has served as the editor of online course content for an organization whose mission is to ensure student success and equity through quality higher education instruction. Her interest in supporting students during their college journeys brought her to her current position with the Fleishman Center.

What is your favorite thing about working at Binghamton University?
I enjoy facilitating the internship process for students because I believe that gaining real-world experience in a field that interests them is a valuable part of their education at BU. I am also happy to be working with caring, dedicated colleagues who are passionate about their mission of helping students be successful.

What was your first internship or job?
My first job was as a dishwasher in a hotel restaurant. I held several different positions in my time there, ending as a front desk clerk.

What is your best piece of career or professional advice?
Every job involves service in one way or another, either directly or indirectly; there are so many different ways to make a positive contribution to society. Your career path will most likely not be a straight one, but try to always take steps in the direction of work that resonates with your values and strengths so that you can gain a sense of purpose and meaning out of what you do.

What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about learning and about supporting others in their education. I love to read, watch historical documentaries, listen to podcasts while taking long walks, travel, and spend time with my husband, daughter, and pet Bichon Jumper.