Graduate Assistants

Graduate Assistant, Career Readiness & Engagement

Role: Career Everywhere, Programming, and Alumni Relations.

In my role at the Center for Career Readiness & Life Skills, I support projects across Career Everywhere, Programming, and Alumni Relations. My responsibilities include coordinating the Career Champion programming calendar, planning and facilitating Career Champion events, supporting the development of career readiness modules and materials for the website, maintaining the Career Champion directory, and conducting outreach efforts.

I am currently a master’s student in Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies at El Instituto, where my research explores the intersections of Latinx identities, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigration. As a first-generation, queer woman of color, I am committed to contributing inclusive and accessible career services for all students, with dedication to supporting those from marginalized backgrounds.

About You:

Hometown: Panama City, Panama

Things I Enjoy: Cooking, arts and crafts, working out, spending time with friends.

Advice to Students: Understand that your timeline might be different from others. Give yourself grace, because you’re on your own journey, and there isn’t a set deadline for achieving things. Also, take advantage of your resources. You’re not alone, and there are plenty of people who want to help you succeed.

Education

BA in Anthropology, Skidmore College.

Favorite Project(s):

Creating multimedia narratives like “La Comida de mi Abuela”, a poetic film that explores grieving, love for cooking, and the role of elders in keeping traditions.

Leading and organizing the “Estamos Aquí” Photography Exhibition that showcases the work and stories of Latino immigrants working at the Saratoga Racetrack.

Previous Role(s):

Immigrant Services Specialist, LifeWorks Community Action, Saratoga Springs NY

Library Assistant, Lucy Scribner Library, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs NY

I’m passionate about creative content, marketing, and sports media, with a specific goal of advancing equity, promotion, monetization, and visibility in women’s sports and for female athletes. My ultimate career aspiration is to work within organizations like the NBA, WNBA, NFL, or ESPN to cover sports that I love as well as champion growth and representation in the industry.

During my undergraduate career, I served as a marketing and creative intern for UConn Athletics, where I helped plan student-centered promotions and events, and created social media content for the official UConn Students social media accounts. I was also a board member of UCTV Sports, producing multimedia content for all of UConn’s athletic teams—particularly basketball and football—including filming sideline and behind-the-scenes coverage at both home and away games and events, such as Big East Media Day at Madison Square Garden or the NCAA Women’s Sweet 16 and Elite 8 in Spokane, Washington. I also traveled and partnered with Nike Women’s Sportswear to film and create content in their SOHO headquarters and at the Shark Beauty Champions Classic basketball tournament.

Currently, I’m pursuing my master’s degree in Sports Management through UConn’s Neag School of Education. I am excited to help students achieve their goals and grow both personally and professionally by connecting them with meaningful resources, creative content, experiences, and opportunities that support them and their future careers.

In my role at the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills, I focus on planning, creating, and implementing programs and events that explore how students’ identities influence their career development. I organize employer and alumni panels, workshops, webinars, presentations, and networking events. I also write blog posts and create social content on inclusive workplace practices, and I help build learning modules and courses on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In addition to programming, I provide one-on-one career coaching to students.

I also serve on the Center’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee as well as the AI Committee. My work in the field of AI focuses on how emerging tools can enhance career readiness. I explore ways for students to use AI ethically and responsibly to research job roles, develop skills, reflect on their experiences, and improve their application materials.

Bio

Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria

Things I enjoy: When I’m not working, I enjoy watching sports, traveling, volunteering, and cooking delicious Nigerian delicacies.

Advice to students: Be intentional about your career and future goals. The time to start planning is now, not when you leave school. Have fun and do deep work. Be kind to yourself and shoot for the stars. I am rooting for you!

Education

University of Connecticut, Storrs, United States
Master of Arts, Higher Education and Student Affairs

University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Bachelor of Science, Political Science
Favorite Project: Cofounding and being the first president of a student-based organization known as the International Affairs Student Association, our mission was focused on understanding, education, and advocating for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria.

In my role as a Graduate Assistant for Graduate Student and Postdoc Career Programs and Services, I support the development and delivery of career programs and initiatives that assist graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in exploring career pathways, developing professional skills, and preparing for their next steps. I welcome every opportunity to contribute to programs and initiatives that help graduate students and postdocs see the many possibilities available to them, both within and beyond academia.

As a doctoral student navigating my own academic and professional journey, I understand the importance of having access to meaningful career guidance, mentorship, and opportunities to explore what comes next. I believe career development is not one-size-fits-all and that graduate students and postdocs should feel empowered to explore diverse career possibilities and define what success looks like for them.

I am a first-year Ph.D. student in Communication at UConn with a background in journalism, strategic communication, public relations, media, and community engagement. Through my role, I hope to help create meaningful career opportunities and experiences for graduate students and postdocs while continuing to grow as a scholar, educator, and higher education professional.

In my role at the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills, I coordinate scheduling presentations, events, and the Career Champion Programming Calendar. I assist in planning and facilitating both in-person and virtual events for Career Champions, students, and alumni. I design and deliver training sessions for staff and learners on programming operations and presentation skills. Additionally, I collaborate on developing and refining career readiness modules, creating and updating presentations, and assisting in the preparations for FYE career assignments.  

As a first-generation student I am a strong advocate for career readiness and career exploration. I believe that it is never too early to start to imagine all the possibilities that are out there and really have fun deciding what it is that you are passionate about.  

I am pursuing a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) as part of the HESA class of 27. I am very excited to work in the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills to help promote the concept of career everywhere and encourage students to really explore their career opportunities.  

Bio

Hometown: East Hartford, CT  

Things I enjoy: When I’m not working or studying for classes I enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons, I do a lot of online and mobile gaming, I work out at the gym, and I am a major escape room enthusiast.  

Advice to students: It is never too early to begin imagining and exploring the possibilities of what your future can be. Even if the idea of a career may seem scary, starting that conversation can help to set you on a path to a career that will not only be best suited for you but one that will be personally fulfilling and exciting as well. Most importantly try to have fun with it and know that you are not expected to have all the answers. Part of the journey is the exploration of who you are and what is right for you.   

Education

Westfield State University, Westfield, Massachusetts  

Bachelor of Arts, English Literature and Education
Favorite Project: Working with the New Student Orientation Office and Academic Advising Office to create an internship opportunity focused on supporting transfer students’ transition to Westfield. These efforts included spearheading opportunities for a transfer student council as well as creating regular newsletters and social media pages for transfer students to connect and receive important information.   

Previous Roles

Peer Academic Advisor–Office of Academic Advising & Transfer Transitions, Westfield State University  

Orientation Leader– New Student Orientation Office, Westfield State University  

Transfer Transitions Intern– Westfield State University  

Name: Maggie Thrall

Title: Career Ecosystem Graduate Assistant  

Contact 

mjt20006work@uconn.edu 

In my role, I support the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills in building a coordinated, university-wide career ecosystem that helps all UConn students access meaningful career development opportunities. I work alongside the Ecosystem Leadership Council and career services staff to research and analyze academic and non-academic data, identify trends, and translate data and insights into actionable recommendations. I am especially interested in the idea that “career is everywhere” and that career development can be woven throughout a student’s college experience rather than treated as something that only happens when a student is searching for a job. My background in psychology and current studies in School Psychology have also shaped my interest in student development and the ways we can support students as they explore their interests and goals. I am excited to contribute to a career ecosystem that is accessible, inclusive, and responsive to students’ different goals and experiences.  

Bio 

Hometown: Windsor, CT 

Things I enjoy: In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, playing volleyball, traveling, playing board games, and baking. I also love animals—especially cats—and enjoy spending time outdoors and staying active. I’m always looking for a new activity to try and am currently attempting to learn pickleball and embroidery! 

Advice to students: You don’t need to have your entire future figured out. Career development is a process, and it’s okay for your interests and goals to change as you learn more about yourself and the world around you. Be curious, talk to people around you, and take opportunities that help you learn something about what you enjoy and what matters to you. Sometimes figuring out what you don’t want is just as valuable as figuring out what you do. 

Education 

University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 

Master’s in School Psychology (in progress) 

Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina 

Bachelor of Science, Psychology and Communication Studies 

Favorite Project: Conducted a group research project, “Are You As Smart As You Think You Are?: Testing the Effectiveness of Reflection on Mitigating Overconfidence in College Students,” which examined how varying levels of reflection during a general knowledge test influenced calibration accuracy (the difference between expected and actual scores). 

My role is to assist both undergraduate students and alumni in navigating the world of work. I provide one-on-one consultations about career-related content such as: major or career exploration, career planning resources, review LinkedIn profiles, conducting practice interviews, and more. My goal is to provide students the resources to have a transformative impact on their career and college experience.

Bio

Hometown: Highland, NY

Things I enjoy: I am often described as bubbly and a “yapper” by my closest friends. I enjoy being a reader, some of my favorite authors are Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, and Joseph Heller. One of my favorite books that I read so far in 2024 is “Notes from Underground”. I am also a huge audiophile; I love listening to both live music and records on vinyl. Curating the right music for writing, reading, and even walking to boosts my mood tenfold.

Advice to students: The world is your oyster, go shuck it!

Education

University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Master of Arts, Sociology.

Favorite Experience: Having the privilege of teaching my first First Year Experience course, and developing deeper relationships with my peers and professors.

University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Bachelor of Arts, Sociology

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology

Favorite Experience: Being involved in the WHUS Radio Station and leading the student organization Moon Appreciation Club.

Previous Roles

• Substitute Teacher – Highland Central School District, Highland, NY
• FYE Instructor – University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT