Eastern Michigan Athletics
Inside the Ride: Celia Murkowski Builds a Lifetime of Eastern Pride
9/17/2025 5:38:00 PM | Baseball, General
Murkowski shares how connection, gratitude, and tradition keep the Eastern spirit alive
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – For Eastern Michigan University's Celia Murkowski, the idea of "Eastern Pride" isn't just a slogan printed on T-shirts or banners. It's a personal mission, a lived experience that began when she was an 18-year-old student giving campus tours and continues today as the university's Director of Alumni Engagement.
In the latest episode of Inside the Ride Presented by LaFontaine Kia Ypsilanti, EMU Head Baseball Coach Robbie Britt sits down with Murkowski for a conversation that's equal parts personal history, institutional love story, and lesson in community building. Over 15 years into her professional career at EMU, Murkowski speaks with the same enthusiasm she had as a student guide leading prospective Eagles across campus.
"I am a first-generation college student, so I'm very proud of that," she said. "My journey started when I stepped foot on campus as a student, and my first job here was being a tour guide. That's where I fell in love with the institution. I saw all it could bring me as a student and all the resources I had at my fingertips."
She describes that early job as transformative, crediting her supervisor for cultivating an environment centered on personal and career growth. "He was all about individual growth, career growth," Murkowski said. "It really started to foster that environment where I thought, I really could be someone."
That mindset would shape the rest of her career. Near graduation, she half-jokingly told her boss, "I want your job." His response pushed her toward new experiences. "He said, well, I have it, so go out into the industry, do things with your business degree," she recalled with a laugh.
She did exactly that, spending time in the corporate world before her former boss called her years later with an unexpected opportunity. "He said, I'm leaving for family reasons, but I'm going to have an opening on my team. I'd love to bring you in and give you the visit program," Murkowski said. "That meant I'd be overseeing the tour guides that I used to be."
That call came in 2008. She's been at Eastern ever since.
When Britt joked that Murkowski had become an "Eastern lifer," she didn't hesitate to agree. "Yeah, I am," she said. "When I was a student, I thought, oh, I'll end my career at Eastern in my twilight years. But I made a career out of being at Eastern. I've been given some wonderful experiences as a student, alum, and professional. Why would I leave someplace that's given me so much?"
That loyalty runs deep. Murkowski's work now focuses on helping current students find the same sense of belonging and purpose she discovered years ago. "I get to create student programs that bring students and alums together," she said. "It gives them that networking experience and that extra oomph to feel confident when they go out into the Eastern world."
Her passion for her work is evident. "It's amazing to be able to live the professional life that I felt like I could only dream of," Murkowski said. "I get to go to work every day and truly love what I do. I don't think a lot of people get to do that."
Few events highlight Murkowski's role like Homecoming. This year, she serves as chair for one of EMU's largest and most anticipated traditions. "It is such an honor to be Homecoming chair for a university that has given me so much," she said.
The weekend kicks off with the Alumni Awards celebration at the Alumni House, where the university honors four to six distinguished graduates each year. "We're celebrating their most distinguished award that you can get as an EMU alum," Murkowski said. "We're very excited about all that's going to go into that event."
Game day brings a new feature for 2025: students will join alumni at the tailgate tent for the first time. "Our tent is right in front of the field," Murkowski said. "This is the first year we're inviting students to be a part of our tenting. We're really excited about that engagement that will happen naturally with our academic colleges."
Affinity groups are also planning reunions, and the student government is helping make the event more accessible. "They've agreed to sponsor 100 students to be part of our tent," she said. "After that, we also have a discounted rate for students when those spots run out."
The goal is to build intergenerational connections. "We want students to see the legacy they're part of," Murkowski said. "Alumni have laid the foundation for what Eastern is today. They've been where our students are now."
Throughout the conversation, Britt presses Murkowski on one key theme: what does "Eastern Pride" really mean?
For Murkowski, it starts with ownership. "If you don't have pride in your degree, how do you expect someone else to view you as a candidate?" she said. "If you're not proud of it, how do you expect them to think you're going to be this qualified candidate?"
Her message to students is clear: pride begins before graduation. "It starts with the student being proud of being here and being on campus," she said. "That sense of belonging translates into confidence when you go out into your career."
Britt agreed, tying her perspective to his experience coaching. "Everything that's worth achieving in life is on the other side of something challenging," he said. "The journey gives meaning to the destination."
Murkowski nodded in agreement, adding that alumni success stories reflect that same mindset. "A lot of them were here when it wasn't as nice as it is now," she said. "But because of the foundation they laid at Eastern Michigan, it gave them the opportunity to go out and create the world they wanted for themselves."
While Homecoming is the most visible part of her work, Murkowski spends much of the year developing engagement programs that connect current students with alumni mentors. "We're always looking for ways to build relationships," she said. "Students need to see themselves in our alumni. It's about helping them find the confidence and support that carries beyond campus."
Her team partners with departments across the university to ensure those connections reach every corner of EMU. From business to education to fine arts, the goal is the same: helping students feel seen and supported. "You never know what one conversation with an alum can do for a student's future," Murkowski said. "It might lead to an internship, a job, or even a lifelong mentor."
She also sees engagement as a way to remind alumni that their Eastern story isn't over. "We want them to feel like they're still part of this place," she said. "Once an Eagle, always an Eagle."
When asked what keeps her inspired after more than 15 years, Murkowski points back to gratitude. "Eastern gave me my start," she said. "It gave me an education, lifelong friends, and a career I love. I feel an obligation to give that back."
That gratitude drives her approach to leadership. "When you love a place, you want to make it better," she said. "That's what I want our students and alumni to feel. Pride isn't something you're told to have; it's something you build by being part of the community."
Her story also reflects a broader truth about the university's culture. As Britt noted during the episode, "A lot of people who come here stay here." For Murkowski, that's not by accident. "Eastern gives people purpose," she said. "When you find a place that lets you grow, you stay."
As the episode closes, Murkowski circles back to the idea that pride and purpose go hand in hand. Her work is about ensuring future generations of Eagles continue that tradition. "I want every student to feel like they belong here and that they can make an impact," she said. "Because when you believe in where you come from, you carry that into everything you do."
Britt ends the interview by thanking her for sharing her story. "Celia, thanks so much for the time," he said. "Appreciate you for going inside the ride with us."
Her response sums up the spirit that's guided her from student tour guide to university leader. "Thank you so much," she said. "I'm proud to be part of Eastern every day."
For Murkowski, Eastern Michigan isn't just where her story began—it's where she continues to write it. Through her leadership, students and alumni alike are reminded that pride isn't passive. It's active, visible, and earned, one connection at a time.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – For Eastern Michigan University's Celia Murkowski, the idea of "Eastern Pride" isn't just a slogan printed on T-shirts or banners. It's a personal mission, a lived experience that began when she was an 18-year-old student giving campus tours and continues today as the university's Director of Alumni Engagement.
In the latest episode of Inside the Ride Presented by LaFontaine Kia Ypsilanti, EMU Head Baseball Coach Robbie Britt sits down with Murkowski for a conversation that's equal parts personal history, institutional love story, and lesson in community building. Over 15 years into her professional career at EMU, Murkowski speaks with the same enthusiasm she had as a student guide leading prospective Eagles across campus.
"I am a first-generation college student, so I'm very proud of that," she said. "My journey started when I stepped foot on campus as a student, and my first job here was being a tour guide. That's where I fell in love with the institution. I saw all it could bring me as a student and all the resources I had at my fingertips."
She describes that early job as transformative, crediting her supervisor for cultivating an environment centered on personal and career growth. "He was all about individual growth, career growth," Murkowski said. "It really started to foster that environment where I thought, I really could be someone."
That mindset would shape the rest of her career. Near graduation, she half-jokingly told her boss, "I want your job." His response pushed her toward new experiences. "He said, well, I have it, so go out into the industry, do things with your business degree," she recalled with a laugh.
She did exactly that, spending time in the corporate world before her former boss called her years later with an unexpected opportunity. "He said, I'm leaving for family reasons, but I'm going to have an opening on my team. I'd love to bring you in and give you the visit program," Murkowski said. "That meant I'd be overseeing the tour guides that I used to be."
That call came in 2008. She's been at Eastern ever since.
When Britt joked that Murkowski had become an "Eastern lifer," she didn't hesitate to agree. "Yeah, I am," she said. "When I was a student, I thought, oh, I'll end my career at Eastern in my twilight years. But I made a career out of being at Eastern. I've been given some wonderful experiences as a student, alum, and professional. Why would I leave someplace that's given me so much?"
That loyalty runs deep. Murkowski's work now focuses on helping current students find the same sense of belonging and purpose she discovered years ago. "I get to create student programs that bring students and alums together," she said. "It gives them that networking experience and that extra oomph to feel confident when they go out into the Eastern world."
Her passion for her work is evident. "It's amazing to be able to live the professional life that I felt like I could only dream of," Murkowski said. "I get to go to work every day and truly love what I do. I don't think a lot of people get to do that."
Few events highlight Murkowski's role like Homecoming. This year, she serves as chair for one of EMU's largest and most anticipated traditions. "It is such an honor to be Homecoming chair for a university that has given me so much," she said.
The weekend kicks off with the Alumni Awards celebration at the Alumni House, where the university honors four to six distinguished graduates each year. "We're celebrating their most distinguished award that you can get as an EMU alum," Murkowski said. "We're very excited about all that's going to go into that event."
Game day brings a new feature for 2025: students will join alumni at the tailgate tent for the first time. "Our tent is right in front of the field," Murkowski said. "This is the first year we're inviting students to be a part of our tenting. We're really excited about that engagement that will happen naturally with our academic colleges."
Affinity groups are also planning reunions, and the student government is helping make the event more accessible. "They've agreed to sponsor 100 students to be part of our tent," she said. "After that, we also have a discounted rate for students when those spots run out."
The goal is to build intergenerational connections. "We want students to see the legacy they're part of," Murkowski said. "Alumni have laid the foundation for what Eastern is today. They've been where our students are now."
Throughout the conversation, Britt presses Murkowski on one key theme: what does "Eastern Pride" really mean?
For Murkowski, it starts with ownership. "If you don't have pride in your degree, how do you expect someone else to view you as a candidate?" she said. "If you're not proud of it, how do you expect them to think you're going to be this qualified candidate?"
Her message to students is clear: pride begins before graduation. "It starts with the student being proud of being here and being on campus," she said. "That sense of belonging translates into confidence when you go out into your career."
Britt agreed, tying her perspective to his experience coaching. "Everything that's worth achieving in life is on the other side of something challenging," he said. "The journey gives meaning to the destination."
Murkowski nodded in agreement, adding that alumni success stories reflect that same mindset. "A lot of them were here when it wasn't as nice as it is now," she said. "But because of the foundation they laid at Eastern Michigan, it gave them the opportunity to go out and create the world they wanted for themselves."
While Homecoming is the most visible part of her work, Murkowski spends much of the year developing engagement programs that connect current students with alumni mentors. "We're always looking for ways to build relationships," she said. "Students need to see themselves in our alumni. It's about helping them find the confidence and support that carries beyond campus."
Her team partners with departments across the university to ensure those connections reach every corner of EMU. From business to education to fine arts, the goal is the same: helping students feel seen and supported. "You never know what one conversation with an alum can do for a student's future," Murkowski said. "It might lead to an internship, a job, or even a lifelong mentor."
She also sees engagement as a way to remind alumni that their Eastern story isn't over. "We want them to feel like they're still part of this place," she said. "Once an Eagle, always an Eagle."
When asked what keeps her inspired after more than 15 years, Murkowski points back to gratitude. "Eastern gave me my start," she said. "It gave me an education, lifelong friends, and a career I love. I feel an obligation to give that back."
That gratitude drives her approach to leadership. "When you love a place, you want to make it better," she said. "That's what I want our students and alumni to feel. Pride isn't something you're told to have; it's something you build by being part of the community."
Her story also reflects a broader truth about the university's culture. As Britt noted during the episode, "A lot of people who come here stay here." For Murkowski, that's not by accident. "Eastern gives people purpose," she said. "When you find a place that lets you grow, you stay."
As the episode closes, Murkowski circles back to the idea that pride and purpose go hand in hand. Her work is about ensuring future generations of Eagles continue that tradition. "I want every student to feel like they belong here and that they can make an impact," she said. "Because when you believe in where you come from, you carry that into everything you do."
Britt ends the interview by thanking her for sharing her story. "Celia, thanks so much for the time," he said. "Appreciate you for going inside the ride with us."
Her response sums up the spirit that's guided her from student tour guide to university leader. "Thank you so much," she said. "I'm proud to be part of Eastern every day."
For Murkowski, Eastern Michigan isn't just where her story began—it's where she continues to write it. Through her leadership, students and alumni alike are reminded that pride isn't passive. It's active, visible, and earned, one connection at a time.
Inside the Ride Episode 2: Katie Condon
Thursday, October 16
16th Annual EMU Baseball Golf Outing
Sunday, October 05
Oestrike Stadium Turf Replacement Time lapse
Friday, October 03
Oestrike Stadium Upgrades Reveal
Thursday, October 02