Susan Merrell ’83 credits St. Lawrence with giving her the networking skills she needed to start her career in politics. “I became who I am at St. Lawrence,” she says. “I learned confidence and how to handle myself.”

The Lincoln, Mass., native is the North Country regional director for U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).  Previously, Merrell was a regional director for U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton until Clinton was named Secretary of State.

When Merrell started working for Sen. Gillibrand, the position of North Country regional director didn’t exist. “Most offices have representatives in Syracuse and Albany, but the North Country was disenfranchised by that set-up,” she says. Merrell explains that city issues often ended up overpowering rural issues in the political sphere. She recognized the need for a rural office in the North Country and essentially developed the position herself.

Merrell has been working with Sen. Gillibrand since the senator took office in 2009, advocating for issues important to the region such as energy, border policies, the military, and education.

“My job is to be in the North Country,” she says. “I help organizations find resources that are available from the federal government and help them to achieve their vision for the North Country.”

At St. Lawrence, Merrell was a psychology major, studied in Denmark, sat on the committee overseeing abroad programs, and played on intramural sports teams. “I had an amazing time at St. Lawrence,” she says.

-Lettie Stratton ’12