ASSETT is funded through a fee assessed to all students who take courses in the College of Arts & Sciences. We are especially grateful to have four student advisory board members: three undergraduates, one from each A&S division; and one graduate student. Student board members help guide us and ensure we are good stewards of the funding they provide. They help us with strategic and budget planning, prioritizing our work, and improving our services. They also serve as ambassadors for ASSETT to the students.
Learn more about our student board members below.
Sabrina Kainz
Geology
Sophomore
She/her/hers
I am a geology major and chose to study at Boulder for the amazing opportunities not just within the department, but those just a little ways west into the immensely interesting Rocky Mountains. Although there is still much to explore, I am keen on looking more into geochemistry and mineralogy. Outside of classes, I work as a Resident Advisor in Williams Village and in the CU TRAIL lab within the geology department.
I joined the ASSETT advisory board to help give the CU community my view as a student in hopes to provide useful insight into improving our relationship with technology. As we turn to our computers more and more as a learning tool, I believe that it is increasingly important to academic success to continue to develop these methods as well as to make them accessible to everyone. I hope to act as a successful representative for undergraduate geology students, as well as all those studying the natural sciences in general. By collaborating and discussing with a range of people throughout CU, I wish to formulate valuable feedback that can benefit current students and future cohorts. Moreover, bouncing ideas off one another can bring to light new and exciting opportunities not previously thought of. I’m curious to see the innovative ways that our community can use technology to enhance the CU learning experience and am thrilled to be a part of this team.
Kavya Kannan
Political Science, Economics & International Affairs
Sophomore
She/her/hers
I joined the advisory board because it seemed like a unique opportunity to allow students’ voices be heard on how their undergraduate experiences can be bettered here at CU. Like most things, there are many notable attributes of student life at CU that should be celebrated but some venues for improvement as well. I am excited to work one-on-one with faculty members to encourage initiatives that help students achieve more success, both within the classroom setting and out in the real world as well. As a member, I hope to make the ASSETT board a more recognized entity within both the faculty and student communities here on campus.
Jashodhara Sen
Theatre & Dance
Ph.D. Candidate
She/her/hers
My name is Jashodhara Sen. I am a Ph.D. candidate in theatre at the University of Colorado Boulder. My dissertation, “Conscience on Stage: Revising Jatra in Bengal as a Tool for Representation, Restoration, and Revolution,” investigates the folk theatre tradition from West Bengal, India, known as Jatra and its contribution to asserting a communal and participatory performance space. I study the character type that depicts the anthropomorphizing of the “conscience,” commonly known as the bibek within Jatra.
I grew up in Kolkata, the cultural hub of India. After graduating from Presidency College, Kolkata with a bachelor’s in history (honors), I wanted to continue my journey in theatre. I went to Mumbai, India, and got accepted in the theatre arts master's program at the Mumbai University. In 2011, I came to the United States to earn my second master's in theatre, with an emphasis in directing, at Oklahoma State University. I graduated in 2013 and worked as an education apprentice and an assistant director in a professional theatre company called the Zach Theatre in Austin, Texas. In Austin, I also worked as an after-school counselor with at-risk youth, implementing Augusto Boal’s techniques as a teaching methodology.
My performance practice, scholarship, and teaching lie in the postcolonial studies and theatre of South Asian diaspora, theatre and social change, digital humanities, and community-based performance practices. Currently, I am working on a digital storytelling platform for South Asian immigrant women, titled “Leaving Home, Finding Home,” that redefines audience-participant relationships in alternative theatrical spaces. My research and reviews have appeared in Ecumenica Journal, Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, Asian Theatre Journal, and New England Theatre Journal. Recently, I have directed the play Shakuntala for the 2019-2020 theatre season.
I care deeply about rescuing dogs, especially the breeds who are bred to be sold, auctioned, or just abandoned. I have two dogs and a cat, and they make my home a sanctuary.
As a graduate representative, my primary reason for joining the advisory board is to gain more insight into the kind of integrative techniques ASSETT is offering to graduate students. My primary goal as a teacher is to provide students with experiences that will give them the conceptual framework necessary to foster professional growth throughout their careers. As technology is a part of our everyday life, I integrate that in my pedagogy to achieve this goal. I also joined the board to learn about the collaborative opportunities between ASSETT and my department to improve our classroom communication skills.
As a member of the ASSETT board, I hope to bridge the gap between the arts and sciences by sharing the needs of my department/graduate students, as well as facilitating a space for ASSETT to share their knowledge and expertise with my department. On March 6, 2020, Sam Kindick from ASSETT is leading a workshop on graduate students' (and faculty's) needs regarding incorporating technology in the classroom.
Nathan Bala
Theatre & Dance
Junior
He/him/his
Nathan Bala is a mover, performer and choreographer. He is currently a dance BFA student at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has performed in “Lacunae,” Gretchen LaBorwit's MFA thesis; “Re-Membering,” Kshitija Saturdekar's MFA thesis; “Next to Normal,” Marla Schulz's MFA thesis; and the current CU faculty's showcase in Helanius J. Wilkins's work “Remembering." Nathan has also performed as the lead dancer for "Eugene Onegin" at Macky Auditorium with the Eklund Opera. While dancing and performing is his main passion, he also has experience in stage managing, lighting design, and projection work. He is currently working on his BFA thesis, “Where Did All the Dreamers Go?” Nathan is always curious and passionate about the connections of life in movement.
I joined the advisory board as a way to both give back and discover more of what CU has to offer. I find that my role is just advocating for my fellow students, and I want to make sure our voice is heard. I think that ASSETT is such an incredible resource that a lot of students don’t realize it is at their disposal, and so my mission is just to continually bringing more awareness to ASSETT and their resources.
