Student Worker Profile: Dan Fairburn

One of the pleasures of working on a university campus is interacting with students. For those of us who work in the SU Libraries, the students we interact with most intensely are our student workers. Today, we are profiling a student worker who graduated this May, Dan Fairburn.

Fairburn grew up in Harford County, MD, and came to SU, because “I liked being close to beaches and I wanted a university where I could have smaller class sizes so I had more interaction with my professors.” That worked out well for Fairburn, who has enjoyed the opportunities SU afforded, noting that he thought “going to a smaller college has allowed me to be involved in so many more organizations and jobs on campus.”

Fairburn began working at the main library three years ago. He has worked at both sides of the Library Services Desk, Research Help and Circulation, as well as with Interlibrary Loan. He said the staff “is what has made my time here so enjoyable. They are very welcoming and kind people to work with!” Working at the library also helped him develop “a deeper understanding of proper research techniques, which has been vital to my success in college and beyond.”

Teddy Stocking, the librarian who coordinates the Research Desk, observed: “We will miss Dan. He added levity to his shifts; everyone who worked with him was in for a few laughs. When Dan was on desk, it wasn’t only a nexus of our library but of campus social interactions, since he seemed to know every person passing by. That being said, Dan always fulfilled patron needs and showed a great deal of responsibility in his role, whether on Reference or on Circ.”

Natasha Finnegan, the assistant head of circulation, commented: “Dan is an important member of our access services team! He is hard-working, reliable, and self-directed in his roles as circulation assistant and interlibrary loan assistant. Dan manages the demanding workflow of customer service with a pleasant demeanor and good attitude. During the past year, with the unusual circumstances of coronavirus presenting difficulties for everyone, Dan was proactive in suggesting and implementing changes in workflow and providing welcome feedback about the realities at the desk. We wish him the best of luck in his next steps. We know he’ll be wonderful at whatever he tries!”

A biology major with a minor in chemistry, Fairburn is heading off this fall to the doctoral program at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. His dream job is to “be involved in autoimmune disease research with an emphasis on natural alternatives for medication.” We thank Fairburn for working at the Libraries and wish him all the best for the future!