Ed Brodka

Ed Brodka (image by David Riffel)

Published September 28, 2018 This content is archived.

Each month, we'll introduce you to an interesting member of the Professional Staff Senate. This month's featured member is Ed Brodka, career counselor and group learning coordinator in Career Services.

How long have you worked at UB?

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I started here 31 years ago as a full-time professional in what was then called the Office of Student Life. Before that I was a graduate and undergraduate student at UB. My first job at UB was a peer advisor for freshman orientation.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Teaching students how to find and network with professionals in their fields of interest. I get to do this in one-on-one career counseling appointments, workshops and class presentations. I've always wanted to be a stand-up comedian and even tried it a few times. I enjoy presenting workshops and class presentations because I can use humor to educate students...and I don't get heckled too often.

What's the most difficult part about your job?

Not knowing for sure if something I said to a student, or taught a student, actually made a difference in their future career path. I hope so.

What would you say is your biggest achievement at UB?

I feel like I have played an important role in introducing many UB staff, students and faculty to the CliftonStrengths assessment (formerly known as StrengthsQuest or StrengthsFinder). I am also proud of how I have been able to help UB students, staff and faculty better utilize LinkedIn.

Tell us something about your department that isn't well known.

Career Services has a platform called Bullseye powered by Handshake that helps students and alums find internships, jobs and much more. What is not well known is that UB professional staff and faculty are able to have a Bullseye powered by Handshake profile so they can see what a student sees, which will help them encourage students to use it. They can fill out the form to request an account.

If you were to share some advice for other professional staff, what would it be?

Figure out what you're really good at and do as much of that as you can. Get involved in things outside of your department, like the Professional Staff Senate, so you can meet other UB staff members.

Do you have any hobbies? What do you do for fun?

I really like comedy and have just recently been trained to be a volunteer at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. I highly recommend taking the 90-minute ride to Jamestown to check it out. It's an amazing celebration of comedy as an art form, with super high-tech, interactive exhibits. I could spend hours and hours there. 

For fun, I love to spend time with my family at our cottage in Farmersville, New York. Because of my time there, I got into bird-watching. I am not an expert, but I have a good pair of binoculars and love to just sit on the porch and identify birds. It's very relaxing. I am even subscribed to UB's birding listserv.

Do you have a favorite meal you like to prepare?

Salmon marinated in soy sauce and brown sugar, cooked on my charcoal grill.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Last summer I was able to travel to Poland with my family and really enjoyed it. I felt a real connection there to my Polish ancestors. Italy would be nice to visit.

Any other fun facts about you?

I love answering questions about myself.