Graduate Student Professional Development

Amanda coordinates professional development programming for graduate students. She believes that graduate education can and should be student-centered and works to help graduate students thrive. Her career in higher education has focused on supporting PhD students in their professional development and career readiness, and prior to coming to MIT, she worked with graduate students and postdocs at UCLA and with Northeastern University’s PhD Network. Amanda has a Ph.D. in comparative literature from the University of Oregon, an M.A. in writing and publishing from Emerson College, and a B.A. in English from Willamette University. What’s the most interesting thing you can see out of your window? I find it interesting to see the layering of old and new buildings that characterize Boston, from stately Victorian and Edwardian row houses to shiny skyscrapers. I also love to watch the scrappy urban sparrows that frequent my window bird feeder.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Elsie supports professional development initiatives for master’s and PhD students. Her professional experience includes over 15 years in Higher Education, with a primary emphasis on professional development. Elsie holds an MS in Higher Education Administration from Baruch College and a BA in History from Union College. What’s the most interesting thing you can see out of your kitchen window? I have enjoyed watching the random wildlife that wanders into my backyard, including an eagle, bunnies, turkeys, and neighborhood cats.