Madison Buford was born and raised just a stone鈥檚 throw away from 橘子视频鈥檚 Statesboro campus. As she watched the University and the city grow, she knew exactly where she wanted to go to college.

鈥淵ou can feel Georgia Southern wherever you go in Statesboro,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge part of the community, and the community loves and appreciates all the things it鈥檚 done in our town. Growing up here, you can really see the impact it鈥檚 brought. Anywhere you go in town, the community is just like, 鈥榊es! We love Georgia Southern.鈥� Seeing that showed me this was where I wanted to be.鈥�

When Buford arrived at Georgia Southern, she fell in love with her community in a new way and thrived in her marketing program.

鈥淚 changed my major multiple times, but once I started in the Parker College of Business, things just made sense and everything started to flow,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淲hat we were learning was practical, and I felt like I could really apply it. I loved the marketing program completely.鈥�

Stepping into a full-time marketing role after completing her undergraduate degree didn鈥檛 fit her expectations. She realized that what she loved most about marketing, the openness and creativity, was also what made it challenging for her as a professional.

鈥淚 missed the structure that higher education has,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淚n marketing, you鈥檙e always trying to figure out what the new trend is, and it is just very gray. Every part of the job was stressful because it鈥檚 a field that changes so rapidly and constantly. I always felt like I didn鈥檛 know what I was doing because what worked yesterday often isn鈥檛 the same as what will work tomorrow. I wanted more structure.鈥�

Thinking back on her time at Georgia Southern, Buford realized it wasn鈥檛 just the degree program that she loved, it was the community.

鈥淲hile working on my marketing degree, I got to work under Gene Sherry and America Minc at the RAC,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淲hen you think about wanting to develop the student completely, they are the two people who immediately come to mind for embodying that. They made even small tasks much more than they were so that we would understand work ethic, responsibility, character and our impact on each other. It wasn鈥檛 just a job 鈥� it was a community.鈥�

The whole-person growth mindset is what Buford wanted again. She became determined to get back to the community that built her and give back in her own way.

鈥淚 realized that there are full-time positions available at Georgia Southern and that I could build a career in the community I loved, so I applied for everything,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淚 landed in the registrar鈥檚 office, and I am so thankful I did because I enjoy it so much.鈥�

She immediately clicked with her new role, enjoying the fact that there was a process for everything.

鈥淲e deal with policy and procedure, so everything is very black and white,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淭hat consistency and organization was perfect for me.鈥�

Buford knew that she wanted to continue to build a future at Georgia Southern, so in 2024, supported by the University System of Georgia鈥檚 Tuition Assistance Program, she decided to become a Georgia Southern student once again by pursuing her master鈥檚 degree in higher education administration.

鈥淢y day-to-day work keeps me involved with many areas of the University, but you don鈥檛 always understand why or what the bigger context of that work is,鈥� Burford said. 鈥淕oing through this program helped me understand all the little pieces and how they play a role in the overall institutional function.鈥�

The structural understanding and practical experience Buford gained through her master鈥檚 program prepared her to better support Georgia Southern students and the community as a whole.

鈥淭his program helped me see my role and my power to impact the student experience,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淚t pulled everything together into one cohesive University story.鈥�

This December, Buford will once again walk the stage at commencement, this time as a Double Eagle.

鈥淚t felt overwhelming at times,鈥� Buford said. 鈥淏ut I am excited to be a Double Eagle. Now I get to reflect and take it all in.鈥�