Celebrating Andrea Rafferty and Her 14 Years of Dedication to the BLD Program
After 14 years of dedication to the MSU Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program, Andrea Rafferty is retiring. Andrea played an essential role in shaping the next generation of laboratory professionals and the BLD community. Since joining the program in 2011, Andrea has left a lasting impression on students, faculty, and staff throughout her career.
Her journey to BLD wasn’t a straight path. After relocating to Williamston in 2008 and commuting to Grand Rapids for work, she decided to look for opportunities closer to home. What started as a temporary position turned into a long-term role with MSU Family Medicine, supporting the Geriatric Fellowship Program. After working there, she eventually found her home at BLD in 2011—a move that would define the next chapter of her career.
Andrea began her journey at BLD as the department secretary and front office manager. With a background in education, the transition to working closely with students was new—but transformative. “One day early on, I was handing out student homework—I looked up and said, ‘I know you!’ It was a person from the town I’d just moved from who had been friends with my kids. It was from that time on that I felt like I belonged here.” In 2018, she moved into the office coordinator role, supporting the MLS program, assisting faculty with their online courses, and monitoring enrollment for certificate course participants.
For Andrea, it’s always been about people. “I’m most proud of building relationships with students and faculty,” she said. Whether it was meeting up for lunch with alumni in Florida, keeping in touch with student workers, or providing extra care for students with accommodations, she made it a point to leave a positive mark.
A memory that stands out for Andrea involved a student who wandered into her office—drawn in by the cozy lights and thriving plants. “She came to my ‘Free Mom Hugs’ sticker. She asked me if I gave Mom Hugs, and I said, ‘Yes—do you need one?’” The student opened up to her and found comfort in the safe space Andrea had created. “It was a chance meeting that helped both of us.”
As she prepares for retirement, Andrea admits that the students and her BLD colleagues will be the hardest to leave behind. “I will miss the students that I’ve become close with and the friendships that I’ve made here.”
This fall, she and her husband are taking a retirement trip to the UK, visiting ancestral sites—including her 10th great-grandparents’ home, now a museum. From there, she plans to attend more Renaissance festivals, travel to ancestral locations across North America, and pursue her Reiki teaching certificate. “I will definitely not be bored,” she said.
Although Andrea may be stepping away, her impact will remain. Through the students she supported, the friendships she built, and the compassion she shared, she leaves behind a legacy the BLD program will always remember.
Thank you for everything, Andrea—we wish you the very best!
