Published on August 3, 2026

For more than 30 years, Bryan Burrell guided student athletes at Lake Land College with the belief that sports are among life’s greatest teachers. Over the years, he watched young athletes build the resilience, commitment and discipline that comes through triumphs and setbacks. But what stuck with Bryan the most is the way that athletes from every background could unite toward a single goal, rely on one another and build the kind of bond that can only be described as a team.

Bryan carried this mindset his entire career, but the foundation was laid long before he came to Lake Land. As a college student himself, his love for sports led him to Massachusetts to pursue a master’s degree in athletic counseling at Springfield College, the birthplace of basketball, where a rich athletic history was woven into the entire fabric of the school. His love for sports also led him to work as an intern with Clemson University’s athletic department, where his career goals began to take shape.

“I realized I loved working with student athletes,” Bryan said. “It made me see that was what I wanted to do.”

After returning home to Illinois and building his work experience, Bryan eventually landed a job at Lake Land in the College’s Admissions department. The opportunity to work with student athletes quickly followed, as just six months into his admissions role, the College opened a newly organized counseling position for athletic advising. Bryan was a perfect fit, and in the Fall of 1994, he officially accepted the role he would fill for three decades.

Throughout his career as a Lake Land counselor, Bryan advised roughly 3,000 athletes as well as students in the College’s Technology division, helping them register for classes, stay on track to complete their programs and explore career and transfer options. In many ways, he served the role of a coach, creating game plans for all his students and leading them toward their life goals. He credits his own mentors, Dr. Tina Stovall and Dr. Larry Larvick, as well as the rest of the College leadership over the years, for modeling this student-first approach for all employees.

“I started here about 30 years after the College was founded, and I got to work with many of the people who started this institution,” Bryan said. “I saw the way they did things and the bar they set. I only hope I’ve continued to set that bar.”

Beyond his role as a counselor, Bryan enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of the Lake Land community throughout his career. He worked for four different College presidents and many vice presidents, and he made great memories on the ball diamond every year at the annual faculty-student softball game. But his greatest memory at Lake Land goes to the day he met his wife, Krista, when she interviewed for a position at the College, and the 23 years that followed where he worked with her every day.

“Getting to work alongside my wife for over 20 years has been the highlight of my career,” Bryan said.

In Summer 2026, Bryan’s turn finally came to retire and hand his role off to the next generation. Reflecting on his career, Bryan points to his relationships with his students as the part he treasures most, as he always cherished the opportunity to watch them grow and fulfill their dreams. He’s seen student athletes continue playing sports at universities across the country, with a handful even making it to the professional level, and he’s watched many others launch careers, start businesses and raise families.

“That’s my victory,” Bryan said. “There’s nothing better than knowing someone years later is successful and happy, and I hope I’ve played a small part in it.”

Bryan also credits all the people who worked beside him for making Lake Land College feel like home. He notes that the same determination he admires in sports was always visible in his colleagues through their relentless mission to serve students, a mission that has always been, and will always be, a team effort.

“We get together every day, with all our different personalities, and we work toward a common goal for our students,” Bryan said. “Coming to work every day is fun when you’re a part of a team like that.”