Megan Jaros

Megan Jaros Headshot

Megan Jaros joined RIT in late 2015 to begin the Case Management team in Wellness. She received her undergraduate degree from RIT, and her master’s from the University of Rochester’s School of Medicine and Dentistry. Megan transitioned to higher education after working as a family therapist in community mental health for nine years. She currently lives in Avon with her husband and their children.

  1. HOW DO YOU TEACH OR EXEMPLIFY APPLIED CRITICAL THINKING?

The role of Case Management here at RIT is to assist students with solving complex problems. We first need to understand the multi-layered problem, assess the student’s knowledge of each of the layers, determine what strategies the student has already attempted, and then craft an array of options that can be used to solve those layers. We go through this entire process alongside the student, hoping they will learn skills they can apply to future situations.

  1. WHY DO YOU THINK APPLIED CRITICAL THINKING IS IMPORTANT IN YOUR DOMAIN OR ROLE?

Life and its complexities never have a singular or linear solution. Students often connect with us after they have struggled to identify/carry out a solution on their own. They often feel frustrated, defeated, sometimes hopeless- we must be adept at quickly assessing situations and offering creative, attainable ideas.

  1. CAN YOU SHARE A STORY WHERE QUALITY APPLIED CRITICAL THINKING WAS KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS?

One of the first tasks I was given as a new case manager was to figure out how to get students to their off-campus appointments. The Student Health Center previously had vouchers for taxi rides, but that system needed to be revised. After searching through a number of single solutions, I discovered that we needed an array of options; changes were made to how we communicated to students, knowledge was built about the available transportation systems, and a call was placed to build an emergency fund.

  1. HOW DO YOU USE CRITICAL THINKING IN OTHER AREAS OF YOUR LIFE OUTSIDE OF RIT?

My ability to think critically is tested just as rigorously at home. As the mother of six children, I am constantly trying to find creative solutions that consider six personalities, emotional states, developmental stages, and the logistics of it all. It is the ultimate puzzle that I feel fortunate to be able to try to solve each day.

  1. ANY LAST CRITICAL THOUGHTS YOU WISH TO SHARE?  

Every critical task should start with taking a deep breath, a moment to reflect on the situation calmly, and offering kindness to all involved- especially yourself.