Chapters

0:00 Welcome
0:30 Who is Breana Butkievich?
1:00 Growing up around farming and horses
2:00 Finding confidence through FFA and public speaking
3:00 Becoming a student advocate 
4:00 What the Law & Society major is like
5:00 Support from professors & key mentors
6:00 Finding community at Quinnipiac 
7:00 Joining Student Government 
8:00 How she can impact campus
9:00 Internship with Senator Chris Murphy
12:30 Experience as an Orientation leader
13:30 Rapid-fire questions!
17:45 Attending the engagement fair & finding organizations over time
18:30 Closing Advice

Transcript

Joel Vanner: Welcome to ”Who Are You?,” the Bobcats you know the stories you don't. I'm your host, Joel Vanner, inside the Podcast Studio at Quinnipiac University's School of Communications. And I am joined today by my guest, Breana Butkievich. Bree, welcome to the show. 

Breana Butkievich: Thank you so much for having me. 

Joel Vanner: I don't know if you've seen our show before, but I have a typical first question. We know your name, Bree, but tell me, who are you? 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, thank you so much for having me again. Super excited to be here. My name is Bree. I'm a senior law and Society major, and I'm from Oxford, Connecticut. 

Joel Vanner: Law and Society major, we'll get into what that means a little later in the show. But let's first start with your journey to Quinnipiac. 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, so I'm from the area. I'm from about like 35 minutes away. So I grew up in Connecticut, and I grew up in a bit more of like a rural part of Connecticut. My family raised horses, and I used to barrel race. So I was a little bit of a horse girl, but I don't want to talk about that on the podcast. So I grew up a lot around farming. So I actually went to an agricultural tech school in my area, and I just fell in love with it. I was super shy growing up. Like, I think I would die on the spot if someone told me I was gonna be on a podcast. 

Joel Vanner: Look at you now, though. 

Breana Butkievich: I know. Look at me now. I grew so much. But my freshman year of high school, specifically, I was really struggling with social anxiety. I wouldn't talk to anyone or do anything. And I remember going to my high school orientation and seeing all these upperclassmen public speaking and, like, so confident and so comfortable with each other. And I remember, like, something clicked to my head that's like, I want to be like them, but I just don't know how to do it. And I ended up meeting some really amazing students. One in particular. I still talk about her. I don't know if she knows who I am now, but her name is Hannah Pryor. She got me into public speaking, actually, which I think I don't know what in that girl was like, Yeah, public speaking is the next step logically, but I'm so happy I tried it because without that next step, I never would have gotten out of my shell. So I ended up doing competitive public speaking through this organization called FFA or the Future Farmers of America. I can't credit that organization enough for anything. I know it sounds a little bit weird, especially in Connecticut, where you don't necessarily think of agriculture. 

Joel Vanner: It's a big part of our state here. 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, like, especially when you get to, like, the Eastern Coast, it's like, all farming, and I just absolutely love it. I can't speak highly enough of that organization and all it gave me. 

Joel Vanner: So, growing your confidence in public speaking through your involvement with FFA and the role models you found there. How did you, in high school, decide that Quinnipiac was the place that you wanted to go? 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, so in high school, I was still, like, trying to get out of my shell. I was still growing a lot as a person, but I fell in love with advocacy and working with government. So through FFA, I got to do something called Agdate the Capital. It's something that happens every year where you actually go to the state capitol and you meet with state legislators. I met Lieutenant Governor. She was the nicest person ever. I'm so happy I got that opportunity. But meeting with those legislators, I was like, This is such a cool career. And, like, I am loving every second of this. I was like, in my element. I was in a competition with one of my friends to see who could talk to the most legislators. Like, we were just loving it. 

Joel Vanner: You got comfortable with public speaking and then turned it up to 100. 

Breana Butkievich: Yes, I did. I went from 0 to 100 very quickly once I got into it. But I was so grateful for that growth because it introduced me to this idea of, like, advocating and being a voice for people that can't necessarily speak for themselves. So through that, I got into researching, like, public issues, and I fell in love with my, like, AP government and AP US history classes. And somehow I ended up finding law. I don't know what it was, but something just introduced me to that as, like, the perfect intersection of advocacy and government and then history. And I just knew that it was what I wanted to do. I fell in love with the idea of having that as a career. 

Joel Vanner: Tell me more about the law and society program that you're in right now at Quinnipiac. 

Breana Butkievich: So the Law and Society program was actually what drew me to Quinnipiac in the first place. I knew that I wanted to major in, like, legal studies or law, something like that from the get go because I just knew it was something that I was super passionate about. And after coming here and experiencing it and knowing my professors, I can 100% say I made the correct decision. I just love everybody there. From the get go, really, I got into, like, pre law school work. Like, I started taking legal writing classes, civil procedures, which most people maybe don't know what that means, but law students will get me quite the struggle, but such an interesting class. It's basically a class where you, like, do a whole, like, mock lawsuit and you go through the stages of what that looks. And each step was more challenging than the next. Like, I fought for my life in civil procedures this past semester. I can't lie. But like, every step, I was like, Yeah, this is for me. Like, I learned how to do legal citations, and I was like, There's a weird part of me that loves this. And then I learned how to, like, go through court documents, and, like, that might sound boring to some people, but it really is, like, my bread and butter. So I am so happy that I chose this degree program, at Quinnipiac. 

Joel Vanner: Throughout your classes, what kind of support have you received to just help you get acquainted and be successful in the program? 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, so coming into college, I was really, really nervous about my professors. I feel like in high school, you get so scared of, like, your professors are going to be so strict and they're going to have all these rules, and you're gonna have such a hard time, getting used to it. But honestly, like, my experience could be farther from that picture that was painted. I got so close with my faculty so quickly. Law and Society is a bit of a smaller program, so there's only, like, a handful of full time faculty and a lot of part time faculty. But honestly, every professor that I've had has had such an impact on my journey. The biggest one that I can think of right now is Professor Sujata Gadkar Wilcox. She's my academic advisor, and she is one of the strongest woman I've ever met. She's such an inspiration to me. I don't know if I've told her that, but I will after this podcast because I really mean it. She was my intro to legal studies professor, and I could go up to her after class and talk to her. I could say something in class, and she would make a point of telling me, like, Bree, like, that was a really awesome point. Thank you for sharing that. She just made me feel so comfortable in such, like, an uncomfortable environment, like, your first college classroom. And it was because of her that I started to, like, get more involved in Quinnipiac, especially within my classroom and academic settings. But she was also one of the people that recommended me to, like, my on campus jobs, so I can't thank her enough. Another really impactful professor, professor Jessica Lopez, she started at Quinnipiac around the same time I did, so we already had that, bond right off the bat. She is just one of the most impressive people I know. She is, like, the most organized person I know. I try to be more like her every day, but she gave such good advice. When I was taking my legal studies, like, writing classes, she made it so easy to understand, and I would go to, like, my office hours with her, and we'd just talk for hours about anything under the sun, but it just made me feel so supported and connected to her. So I can't think two of them enough. 

Joel Vanner: It's great to have those role models, too, because, you know, for you in the beginning, the role model helped you become a better public speaker and more comfortable in that, and to have those role models here, that's awesome. How have you been able to find your community outside of the classroom here at Quinnipiac? 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, so both my parents attended college, but they did, like, online college or part time schooling. So when I got the chance to go to a four year college, I was like, I want to make the most of that opportunity because it's not something that everyone else in my family has gotten. And one of the ways that I feel like I've most been able to do that is getting involved on campus. I like to say that I've tried a little bit of everything because it did take me a while to find my footing, but once I did, I just fell in love with everything that I could do. My spring semester, my freshman year, I started working as a peer catalyst or a PC in a sociology one on one class, and I fell in love with that job. It is a way to sit in a classroom and teach other students without being like a TA or anything crazy. And I really bonded with my professors and the people that I worked with, especially being so young in that role. Like, most of my students were older than me, which was weird at first, but I ended up just falling in love with that. I also work in admissions, and I really have found, like, my family away from home in the admissions office. I can't speak highly enough of it. I tell everyone and their mother to apply to work in admissions because I just think it is so much fun. And I also I am really proud of my tour guide walk. I've worked very hard to perfect that. 

Joel Vanner: You’ve got to walk backwards without tripping. And know all the points. 

Breana Butkievich: Yep, I've had my rough patch.  

Joel Vanner: Every tour guide has, like, one thing that they walk into backwards, and then you never do it again. 

Breana Butkievich: You get to put some cones up in the office so you can practice. 

Joel Vanner: I know.  

Breana Butkievich: I try to help others when I can. I'm just very proud of it. But my biggest, club that I'm in is student government or SGA. I can't speak highly enough of student government. It was always something that I wanted to do, but I never did it because I was so nervous about, like, running for an election and losing. I was just like, There's no way I'll win an election. And my sophomore year, I got an email probably, like, February that they were doing a special election, and you didn't have to campaign or anything crazy. You just had to come give a speech to this people on SGA. And if you were, like, the best candidate, you would win the open spot. And I was like, hou know what? Like this is something I've always want to do, but I'm so nervous to try it. Let me just put myself out there. And if I don't get it, like, what's the worst that's going to happen? And I remember going in and having to give this speech, and I saw people I knew in the crowd, but I was so nervous still because I was like, they're going to be talking about me, and I'm not going to know what they're saying. Like, that's such a weird thing to think about. But I remember going back in, and they announced that I won that open seat, and I just felt like joy that I can't even describe because it was like I took a chance on myself, and it paid off. And now, looking almost two years later, I'm so happy that I made that decision. I've really found some of the best friends that Quinnipiac has to offer on student government, and I've gotten to work on some really fulfilling and, like, impactful projects to me that have made a difference on campus, and I can't be thankful enough for that experience. 

Joel Vanner: Have you been able to impact our community through student government? 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, so I've gotten to do a couple of different things. Student government is always changing and growing, which is awesome, but it also makes it a little bit hard to describe at times. My first year on student government, I worked on a project to get menstrual product disposal bins installed in public bathrooms on campus, not the products, but the disposal bins that you put them in. And that ended up getting completed towards the end of the school year. I was really proud of that was something I worked hard on, and it was also my first project that I took on. So I didn't really know exactly how to do it. It was kind of a working-out-as-it-happened type of deal, but I'm so proud of it, and it was something that when I think about my time on student government, it's always the first thing that comes up. This past year, I also worked with the Department of Public Safety as the student safety advocate for student government. So I met with Chief Reyes to talk about different issues that came up, and then I also helped them plan two different open houses. So, like, students, faculty, staff could come in and, like, tour the office, get to know the officers, get some really good snacks and food along the way. But those were two events that I was really happy to put together because I do think that they're very unique, and I don't know many other places that do things like that. 

Joel Vanner: Transitioning governments, I heard you had a really interesting internship experience. 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, so the fall semester of my junior year, so this past fall, I had the really awesome opportunity to intern with US Senator Chris Murphy in his Hartford office. I had always been like, I don't want to say a fan, but I always looked up to Senator Murphy. I remember watching videos of, like, his filibusters and speeches on the Senate floor and just thinking he was, like, the coolest person ever. So when I saw that opportunity pop up, it was something that my professors had talked to me about, but it a role that I sought out and applied for myself, and getting it was, like, such a surprise. I was like, I don't know if I'm ready to commute to Hartford every day. It seems like such a commitment, but in reflection, like, I'm so happy that I did it because it was just one of the most rewarding opportunities I've had in college. I went to the office two times a week, so I would go on Mondays and Fridays, and every day was something different. Some days, I would work on the desk and take phone calls from constituents to write down opinions or issues that came up. Sometimes I would work with caseworkers. So like, federal offices will help, like, residents in their state with any kind of federal agency support they need. So if you need your passport, like you need like your passport reviewed or you need, like some help like applying for, like, federal benefits, anything like that. There's a caseworker in our office that handles it. So it was really awesome to kind of get to see that kind of perspective. And then some days, we'd be out with staff in the office or with the senator himself going to different events. So there was one day that I toured the American School for the Deaf with Senator Murphy, so we got to see a brand new facility. We did something called stand down, which is a Veterans kind of like benefit support day. So any kind of documents they need, we actually went to different locations with Senator Murphy and helped process that paperwork, which was so rewarding. It was one of my favorite memories. And then we also got the opportunity. There's things called Councils of government or COG in Connecticut, and their meetings were often very agricultural based because we don't really have council government or, like, county government in Connecticut, but when we do, those are the kind of things they focus on. And because they knew that was something I was interested in, and it was something that was very common in the place that I'm from, I would always get to go to those meetings and hear about the agricultural issues from various parts of the state, and I just absolutely loved it. That was one of my favorite memories, as well. 

Joel Vanner: And it's awesome to be able to connect what you're learning in the classroom, I'm sure- relying on your mentors, too, throughout the process in these internship experiences you're having. 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, so I actually have a funny story. I took a polling class with the Quinnipiac Polling Institute last fall around the same time I was working with Senator Murphy and Professor Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox. I was just talking about she's a state senator. So there was one day she was walking around campus with other state senators, and she came to take a look at the presentation that I was doing. And one of the people that she was with actually worked with Senator Murphy's office, like, two months before I got there. I just missed him. But we spent most of the time I was supposed to be presenting talking about that experience, and I was able to get some insight on projects I was working on from both him and my professor. I just remember that now as we were talking, but it was so cool to have those connections because even if you don't expect them, they do come up, and I don't know where I would be without the people that I meet through the opportunities I've been given. 

Joel Vanner: And they help you grow. Your connections help you grow in your network, too. How have all of your experiences helped you grow from someone who was afraid of public speaking and was in her shell and to who you are today? 

Breana Butkievich: That's such a good question. I feel like everything that I've done or everything that I've been given has been like one small piece of this puzzle that grew me into the person I am now. And I like to think that I've grown into a pretty good person. I'm pretty proud of the way that I've grown over the past however many years and everyone to think about it. But, I really think that, like, mentors have been such a bit. Like, I think you used that word earlier, and that's just, like, the perfect way of describing it is, like, mentors and then, like, get to mentoring future, like, leaders, whether its through student government or other places. I give a lot of credit to my growth in college to student government and the people that I met there. Um, student government is like it's such a big commitment that you get so it's like one big family, like everyone there. So I think of the upperclassmen that I met when I first joined and how I looked up to them. I thought they were like the coolest, most intelligent people in the world. And they put their faith in me, and they started helping me with the projects I was working on or encouraging me to take bigger steps or try something new when I start to get frustrated. And now going into my senior year, there's some really, really amazing people that I've gotten to meet through student government, through my work in the learning commons and admissions, and helping them kind of take chances on themselves has been such a rewarding process that I feel like is really finishing off that growth. I think because of the people here and the processes that have made me more confident in myself, I'm starting to apply to law school, and I feel so ready for that process because now I believe in myself, which is really something that I think Like, you can't teach that. It's something that just comes with the experience, and I'm like, so thankful for that. 

Joel Vanner: You're also an orientation leader, so you are mentoring, advocating, giving back to our first-year students who take part in the comprehensive program. 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, so this past summer was my first time being an orientation leader or an OL, and I really just can't speak highly enough of the program and the people that run it and the experience. I absolutely loved every moment of it. I thought it was so much fun. Long days, for sure, but so rewarding. I really want to shout out Jamil and Hannah. They're two of the, like, professional staff people that I met through student government actually, that kind of helped run the orientation process. And they've been such mentors throughout this process. Even if they don't know it, they really are just so inspirational to me. And I also love the staff that I work with. I had a really amazing relationship with my orientation partner who I worked with first year students alongside. And because of that, we had so much fun during our sessions, and I just love getting to my first years and see them grow from the first time that we met to starting to love college and feel so confident as they left. One of my favorite traditions that we do is the Clap out. You'll see a lot of pictures of it on Instagram. But basically, orientation leaders cheer on our first years as they leave orientation, and seeing them smile, giving them a hug or a fist bump, it's just like knowing how those few days that we spent together really makes them feel more comfortable is just so rewarding. And they made me feel more comfortable going into my senior year, too. 

Joel Vanner: And in a period of change, brings them out of their shell and gets them ready for success here at Quinnipiac. 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, truly, like, so amazing. I never my freshman year, if you told me I was gonna be an orientation leader, I would have, laughed at you. I would have thought there was no way. But I'm so grateful that I did, because truly, like, one of my favorite experiences that I've had at Quinnipiac. 

Joel Vanner: You've helped our first-year students get acquainted to campus as an orientation leader. I have a couple of rapid-fire questions for you to help those who may be coming to our campus soon. Are you ready? 

Breana Butkievich: I am. 

Joel Vanner: Okay. What is your go-to place to eat? 

Breana Butkievich: Definitely Heritage Kitchen in the dining hall. It's basically this rotating station of five different food trucks that come to campus for a week at a time. I can't name all five right now, but one that always stands out to me is Spuds. It's loaded baked potatoes. You have to trust me on this. They're so good. There's one of my favorites is they do, like, a Taco Tuesday baked potato. So good. 

Joel Vanner: I'd also vote for spuds. 

Breana Butkievich: See, I knew, but, like, ten out of ten recommend. 

Joel Vanner: What is your favorite weekend activity? 

Breana Butkievich: I really love going to like, there is any number of events that happen on campus on the weekends. And honestly, one of my favorites is anything that the student Programming Board or SPB puts on. Being on the student government, we share, like, an office space with the student programming board, so naturally, we get a little bit close with them. So it's always fun to go and see the events that my friends are putting all this time and effort into planning. There's anything from, like, bingo nights and giveaways. They do stuffed nights on the weekends sometimes, so you can, like, make a stuffed animal and bring it home. They do different kinds of, like, weekend trips. Like, there's always trips to go hike the Giant, which I highly recommend. I always tell my first-years, like, it's a rite of passage to go hike the Giant during your first year. You have to do it. But the sleeping giant right across the street, highly recommend, really- I just like to check out, like, talk to my friends, check out the website, see what's happening and what sounds interesting, and just go to one of those events. I always enjoy it. 

Joel Vanner: Yeah, students can go on to Bobcat Central, I think, it's called and see all the upcoming events on campus.  

Breana Butkievich: Highly recommend? 

Joel Vanner: What is the best event on campus? 

Breana Butkievich: I really want to talk about Fall fest. It's kind of like a small concert and almost like a full festival that the Student Programming Board puts on usually towards, like, mid-October, somewhere around there. I think it's just, like, the most fun because there's a musical artist or a comedian or someone that comes and performs, but there's just a million other things to do during it. They do, like, pumpkin picking and pumpkin painting, so they do like a little pumpkin patch, and you can, like, do something there. There's different, like, stickers, giveaways, friendship bracelets. There's like a photo booth that they put up so you could take pictures with your friends. I always like to find people that want to go, and we just go as a group and try a little bit of everything because it's just such a fun way, especially towards the beginning of the semester, to get, like, right back in the swing of. 

Joel Vanner: And it's right on the Mount Carmel quad, too. So on a beautiful day, right with Sleeping Giant in the background. What is one thing you wish you knew before coming to Quinnipiac? 

Breana Butkievich: Whenever I got this question during orientation, my answer would always be, I wish I knew how easy it was and how impactful it was to get involved on campus. And it's just one that always really stands out to me because my first year I really struggled getting involved on campus. I would just go to my classes and then, like, do nothing else. But during that first year, especially during those first few weeks, like, everybody is new to campus. Everybody's looking for friends, everybody's looking for things to do, and just, like, talking to the people you live with or, like, going on Bobcat Central and looking for a club that you really like and going to a meeting. Makes such a big difference, finding friends, finding your home away from home here at Quinnipiac, finding the things you love to do throughout your four years here, especially looking back as a senior, like, the time goes by so fast. I wish I just hit the ground running because even though it sounds really scary, once you get comfortable with that uncomfortable feeling of, like, being in a new place, it really is so easy to just, like, find some friends and find things to do. 

Joel Vanner: Go to the engagement fair. Hundreds of student organizations are out there on the quad at the beginning of the term, and find the one that interests you. 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, it can be a little scary to look at first. There are literally 200 clubs and orgs that are out there, but go find the orientation leader table, sign up, and find some other things too. 

Joel Vanner: What is one thing a first year student should bring? 

Breana Butkievich: Oh, this is a good question. I am the kind of person that I always overpack. I always have so much stuff, and then I have half things that I don't need, and then I never have the things that I do need. One of the biggest things I can recommend is shower shoes. Bring shower shoes. Like, you will need them. Like, go find a pair of cheap flip flops or something, but you will use them. And then also bring anything that you need for your classes. Like, find out what you want, like, take notes on, do your homework on, whatever it is ahead of time, so you don't have a million notebooks and an iPad and a bunch of pens and pencils and a laptop and all these things. Kind of figure out what works for you ahead of time and just bring one so you're not stuck with all these school supplies that you won't use. 

Joel Vanner: Especially in the middle of move-in when you're trying to shift everything around. What is one thing everyone worries about, but they don't need to? 

Breana Butkievich: This kind of ties into something I think I already said, Lowkey, but, it sounds so scary coming to college. Like, you're with all these new people. You're away from home. Like, it can be so scary the idea of, like, making friends or, like, seeing college as like a home away from home. But just put yourself out there. It sounds really scary, especially like I know that I'm not really one to talk talking about like my freshman year in high school and college being super shy, but putting yourself out there, like, going to different events, going to different clubs and organizations, it is the first thing that will get you out of your shell, and it'll make that transition so much easier. The student Programming Board puts on, like, a week's worth of events during that first, like, week of classes during move-in and everything. Go to those events. You'll have so much fun. You'll make so many friends. You'll get a lot of free stuff if you win Bingo. 

Joel Vanner: You get like TVs. 

Breana Butkievich: Anything. Like, one of my friends won, like, a waffle maker, I think. I don't know if she ever used it, but she won it, and she talks very highly about it. But you can get anything under the sun, but it's also a really fun way to kind of get involved right before classes even start. 

Joel Vanner: Go to the engagement fair, sign up for organizations. You'll get all their emails. Go on Bobcat Central. Also, don't be sad if you don't find your organization right off the bat, either, because, you know, there's more time at Quinnipiac to find what you're interested in and find your community. 

Breana Butkievich: Yeah, exactly that. Like, I always like to, you will find stuff that you love your first year. Like, you'll find friends, you'll find clubs. You'll find, like, all these things. But it's okay if it's not, like, your passion right off the get-go. I didn't find student government until towards the end of my sophomore year, and that's really been, like, the organization that has made my experience. But I had a lot of really awesome experiences before that. It just took me a while to find, like, the organization. 

Joel Vanner: For anyone listening or watching who may still be in their shell, may not be confident in public speaking, may not even know, you know, really where they can find their community, what advice would you give them as they're looking to college as a next step? 

Breana Butkievich: The first things first, it is okay to be where you are, like, be where your feet are. Just take everything in because you're only going to get the moments once. That being said, I think this is, like, such cliche advice, but it was the one that kind of hit home for me was, like, you only get four years. You only get three years. You only get however much time, and you have to make the most of it. And if you're if you're like me, you're kind of person that you're really struggling, like, putting yourself out there or you feel like you're trying, but you're not getting much back, just have faith that something will happen because it always does. Things have like this really weird way of working out. Take a chance on yourself is always the biggest thing. That's the thing that I started doing once I started taking a chance on myself, it made the biggest difference in my college career. So, find something that you want to do. Run for that student government seat, go to that club meeting, say hi to the person in the dining hall that you've been wanting to talk to, but, like, maybe you've never found the right excuse for it. You'll start to realize that, like, you'll find the things that you love. You just have to take a little bit of your chance on yourself to do it. 

Joel Vanner: College is a place to do it, and you never know. What'll happen. Exactly. Well, Bree, thank you so much for joining me on the show today, giving your insights and experience. And it was great to hear. 

Breana Butkievich: It was so nice to meet you. Thank you so much for having me. 

Joel Vanner: If you enjoyed today's episode of ”Who Are You?,” be sure to like and subscribe and find other episodes on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube podcasts. Until next time, when I ask my next guest, who are you? I'm Joel Vanner. Bye for now.