The Outstanding Graduate Administrator Award recognizes an administrator who demonstrates unwavering dedication to graduate students and exceptional skills in graduate administration
Can you tell us a bit about what your job entails?
My main job duties are PhD recruitment and admission, co-teaching MCEN 5208 Industry Skills (a required course for all ME professional MS students), grad program administration and overseeing the graduate administration and advising team.
Why do you like working with graduate students?
Many prospective students are a little shy at first, and I enjoy drawing out why they are thinking of going to graduate school and connecting that with what we have to offer. When students end meetings with, “Thank you, that was more helpful than I expected,” I am amused. And glad.
One of my favorite parts of working with MS students who take my class is getting feedback that some of the class activities have built their confidence and made them think in a way they hadn’t before. I enjoy equipping them with knowledge and tools that enable them to see their worth as they prepare to enter the job market.
What motivated you to work in this field?
I’m an English major and never thought I’d work with engineers! But I have discovered that the knowledge and skills I have built over my career complement an engineering environment.
Working in a university in general is meaningful for me for several reasons. Education has the capacity to expand minds and challenge beliefs. My undergraduate and graduate education did that for me and changed my trajectory in a variety of ways. I’m so grateful that I had access to that education. And now I get to do work that opens up access to others who are interested in higher education. That’s kind of cool.
Also, during my emigration journey, a small university on the east coast housed my family in their dorms for several weeks until we were placed in a permanent home. Universities have so much capacity to contribute to their region, and I like being part of an institution that uses its strength to give back to its community. It may be one of the reasons I like to support our graduate student volunteers in their K-12 outreach efforts. Our generous grad students take time to teach and interact with middle and high school students and let them know that they have what it takes to be an engineer. For some of those kids, those experiences could change how they think of themselves and nudge them to move in directions that elevate their lives and the lives of their families. That’s important work.
What do you love most about your job?
The people! It’s energizing to work in an environment where prospective and current students are reaching for something more, where faculty educate curious minds and conduct fascinating research, where donors and alumni pitch in to provide our students with scholarships and support the department in other ways and where staff implement creative solutions to problems and keep it all moving forward.
Another intriguing part of my job is generating revenue for the department via recruitment and other activities. It’s rewarding to know that the work that I do financially supports not just the graduate program, but the entire department.
What do you hope to impart to the next generation of engineers?
That they are a lot more powerful and worth more than they think they are! And that that power comes with responsibility.
What are some things you’ve learned from graduate students while working with them?
So much! To be curious. To be adventurous. To be kind.
Some of the most compelling interactions I’ve had with students are when they come to me to complain about something or to provide feedback. In those cases, the student has given me a gift when they point out something that’s not working in the graduate program. I can then examine the issue and see if I can address it. If I can, then a student who may have initially been frustrated feels heard, and there’s potential to make improvements to the graduate program. And that’s all because a student took the time to speak up. It reminds me to continue being an advocate for them and their experience while they are in our graduate program.
What are some future plans or ambitions you have to change or improve the graduate school experience in mechanical engineering at CU Boulder?
I love leading a team. Anna and Megan are our grad program’s student-facing leaders, and they are doing a wonderful job of elevating the graduate student experience in mechanical. They are the ones who provide informed academic advising and compassionate coaching, propose and implement new ways we can improve our graduate program and build out events that bring our students together. I aim to provide the resources and support that they need so that they can excel in the meaningful and high-level work that they do.
What does winning this award mean to you?
It means a lot. When I read the email about this award, I immediately thought of my parents, Vitali and Maria. They risked everything to bring my family to the United States back in 1989. Now, here I am thriving in a job that I truly enjoy and living in a community where I feel safe and comfortable. I feel so unbelievably lucky.
It’s also humbling. I can think of so many other graduate administrators who deserve this award. I am grateful that the College takes steps to recognize graduate staff and hope that they continue to do so in the future!
