I sat down to speak with Din this last week, and from the beginning of the conversation, it was clear that she is passionate about student involvement. Din arrived at Wellesley this past summer after an already-extensive career in student affairs in higher education. She had previously worked at the Asian-American Center at Northeastern University, residential life at various colleges, Director of Intercultural Affairs at Stonehill college, and has earned a Masters and PhD in higher education from University of Vermont and UMass Boston, respectively. She says that she has “devoted pretty much most of [her] career to serving historically oppressed communities,” and that she has always made that a priority in her previous positions. 

Din also remarks that, as a Filipina woman, she has been focused on anti-colonial narratives, and how identities, power, privilege, and oppression have been embedded in systems and institutions. Being able to work with that relationship, especially at small liberal arts institutions, has really made a difference to Din. She thinks that relationships with students at small institutions tend to feel more personal, and that she has been able to positively engage with more students. She also felt strongly that she would end up at a historically women’s college; Din says that went to a private all-women’s high school, and as she said, “some of my favorite people in the world are fiery women.”

Din believes  what comes out of the Office of Student Involvement should always be student-focused. She has already been working to involve herself in the Wellesley community—while she hasn’t had a lot of time to attend programs or get to know organizations, she is already adding events to her calendar. She says she’s trying to be intentional about what and who she shows up for, because showing up matters to students. She remarks, “I need to just make sure that I’m learning and listening, because you are all the experts of your experience here, not me.” Din has been reaching out to faculty and staff that especially work with marginalized communities on campus, trying to make sure she can hear a variety of voices. “How do students know that Student Involvement cares?” she asks. “I want to be able to make sure that students know that they can reach out to me if and when they need support.” She wants students to know that she brings a unique lens of intercultural awareness to the role too, and that she is open to all perspectives and experiences. 

Din’s model also seems to be that of learning and listening. When asked about her plans for students in the future, she said, “I think a huge part of my first year is I need to learn and listen and hear stories, the concerns, the challenges, the joys.” And in regards to struggles orgs may face with recognition, Din is prepared to listen to what students have to say. She says that she’s a problem solver at heart, and that her hope is that any barriers that exist for organizations can be addressed in the appropriate ways. She says, “if I’m noticing that there’s a specific policy or a procedure or some a process that seems to be like a barrier for students or student orgs, those are things that I like kind of latch on to, and…I’m so new, but I’m going to pay attention to it, because it seems like it’s an issue, right?” She explains that she not only wants to listen and learn from students, but also advocate for them in administrative settings. Din says every student deserves a transformable experience, and she can understand the frustration without being recognized. 

When asked about the issues with orgs’ funding, Din says that she heard about issues surrounding the student bursar and funding from last year. She was pleased to learn that they were now getting paid more equitably as part of the Cabinet for Student Government, but she’s also focused on making sure they are consistently heard and affirmed. And in regards to potentially replacing the Bursar with a more administrative position, Din said that it would depend on what students tell her and advocate for throughout the semester. “I’ve heard from student orgs too, and so I feel for them deeply, because I went to college too, and it’s just hard to want to do what you want to do when the resourcing is very limited,” Din said.

Overall, Dr. Kristine Din is excited for her new position and possibilities on campus. She says the part that she loves most is the students: their input, their excitement, and their openness. She says, “It is true that…I am in higher ed, in student affairs because of students and the belief that educators had in me, in my former college life, and so I tried to be that for students that I’ve worked with for a number of years now.” She remarks that the people here feel authentic and real, and it makes her all the more connected with her new role. “The people that I’ve met and been able to engage with so far are really authentic in their care for the campus community,” she concludes. 

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While a professor, Coile served on faculty boards and worked on managing the academic structure of the college with other faculty. She explained that she’s really moving into a college service role full-time with this new position, and she said, “in terms of my focus for this year, this position has a very big portfolio, and listening and learning is really the focus.” She said she’s also responsible for building relationships with other faculty, administrators and students, and that she works closely with various deans to make important decisions about the college. She said the provost is responsible for a wide range of daunting tasks — budget decisions, hiring within academic departments, research and long-term academic planning — and that it is a collaborative effort to keep things operational. 

Something Coile is focusing on in the upcoming year is the relationship between academics and artificial intelligence. She said that as AI emerged onto the educational scene in recent years, different institutions have been grappling with how it should influence the student experience. She explained, “We just really want to be thinking about what we’re doing as a college to prepare students to live and work in a world with AI.” But AI is not the only thing Coile is interested in emphasizing this year; she is also focused on fostering a more open and respectful campus environment. 

“Something I know the President has spoken about that I agree [with is] that, you know, we really need to be thinking about ways we can support having a respectful campus where everybody who’s a member of our community can really be free to share their views,” she stated. 

She pointed to the Hillary Rodham Clinton Center as an exciting program focused on democracy which gets students “to think about their role as people who are recipients of information, owners of information, and communicators of information.” 

When asked about the changing academic requirements, Coile said that the changes were part of a very thought-out academic process. She explained that the decision to add an experiential component to the distribution requirements was passed in Academic Council this year, and will apply to the incoming class of 2028 and beyond. She said that “one of the important things about that requirement, and that we talked about when we were passing it, is that a huge fraction of our students — I believe it’s over 90% — are already doing things that would count towards this requirement.” 

Coile points out that activities like internships, programming like the Albright Institute and the Hillary Rodham Clinton Center, and even certain courses can count towards the component. She said there will be a designation on the transcript for future employers and schools to see that students are now incorporating that experiential learning into their education. 

When asked how students could find these opportunities, and if there would be an increase in resources to help students with these new requirements, she explained, “The college has a lot of funds that are available for internships, and so I would certainly direct students who are interested in that to our wonderful Career Education office, because they can really help identify specific opportunities, both for funding and for positions that are a good match to students’ interests.” 

She mentioned that taking into account the burden this could have on students was an important consideration, and the Council ultimately decided that students could satisfy this requirement in a variety of ways over their time at Wellesley. 

In regards to the potential dropping of the multicultural requirement, Coile says that it is still in discussion within the Committee on Curriculum and Academic Planning (CCAP), which has a mix of students and faculty in the constituency. She noted that, at this time, there is no solidified plan to change the requirement, but there is an ongoing process concerning assessment of the overlay distribution requirements. 

Coile also discussed academic funding, and said the process for making salary determinations and tenure decisions starts from the bottom up. She pointed out faculty doesn’t often change year-to-year, and that the Budget Advisory Committee makes salary decisions based on a wide variety of factors, including past standards. When asked about how the new union WOAW-UAW changed the way salaries were decided, she explains that there is an “exclusive representative of the non-tenure-track faculty … and so … matters that have to do with the terms and conditions of employment are negotiated between the union and the college.” She said, however, that contracts will take an extensive amount of time to negotiate, and so it’s no surprise that the decisions are still in the works.

Provost Courtney Coile may not be new to Wellesley, but she said she has already seen a new side to Wellesley as she stepped into her role. She said because of all the new interactions she’s had as provost, she had “come away just even more deeply impressed by our amazing faculty and staff and their commitment to our students, and how all these different pieces really contribute to the academic program.” 

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“One of my initial impressions, which I picked up during my interview and has been true during my first few days here, is that the residential experience means so much to people here,” McDaniel said.

When explaining what this position means to her, Brittany expressed that “part of the reason why I do this work is because it is really important to create an environment where when you come to college, you are able to find a home away from home, or maybe this is your first home,” she said. “We really want to think about how we can create an environment where everyone feels safe and finds connections. There’s the ability to learn so much from different folks within an environment when someone feels safe and included.” 

McDaniel has a specific appreciation for liberal arts schools’ this was an influential factor in her decision to be a part of the Wellesley community. 

“I grew in my appreciation for liberal arts about 10 years ago. I worked in another institution that was similarly sized, and I was able to see … that there’s just so much opportunity to think about how are we creating spaces within residence for faculty to come in, for students to just continue conversations they start in the classroom and in other campus spaces,” she said. “There’s so much more to learn about life and how can we work together to foster that environment within residences? The other piece about Wellesley is being able to work with very equity minded and intelligent individuals.” 

In regards to the student body itself, McDaniel elaborated, “I find a lot of meaning and joy working with high-achieving students because there is additional investment that you have within your experience, and so I want to be a partner and I want my team to be a partner in working with students to figure out how we can make this vision a reality.” 

McDaniel discussed some goals she hopes to achieve through this position, stating, “what I want to do is really be able to work with my team where if you [a student] is really feeling at that wit’s end, you are able to go to your CD but also know where our central officers are here [in Billings] so that you can connect with someone on my team or myself and to know that we really are here to support you on your journey.” 

When asked about students who are non-traditional, such as transfer students or Davis Scholars, McDaniel explained that she hopes to work with them specifically in the future and have conversations about how she can enhance their unique transition to Wellesley. 

“I want to acknowledge that for any student who is transferring, that’s a culture shock. It is also happening during such a developmental point in your life. What I am open to doing is finding time because I want to listen.”

McDaniel also shared a few fun facts about herself so that the student community can get to know her better. 

“I have been trying to learn guitar so we will see what happens with that! I also do enjoy being outside unless there are a lot of bugs and then I don’t do so well. You will find me often in the gym so if folks see me in the gym they should say hi!”

Overall, her goals include being present and seen by the student community. 

“I would love to come to student-run programs, and would love to be invited as well. Students are a critical part of the conversation.”

Professor Sahasrabuddhe is an assistant professor in the political science department currently teaching World Politics and International Political Economy. She graduated from Cornell University in June with a Ph.D. in Government. She joked, “Crises are always in my life. I started college during the global financial crisis and now teach during the pandemic.”

Professor Sahasrabuddhe grew up in Mumbai, India, and spent her later years in the US and the UK, where she previously studied. According to Professor Sahasrabuddhe, she decided to come to Wellesley due to the quality of research and the diversity of the student body. During her interview with the faculty, she immediately felt their supportiveness and was eager to work alongside bright and experienced colleagues. She added that the perfect balance between the urban setting of Boston and the tranquil Wellesley campus was hard to turn down. 

Professor Sahasrabuddhe admits that since she is not a natural public speaker herself, she wants to engage reserved students in discussions. She hopes students can become more confident and accustomed to expressing their valuable ideas and is looking forward to seeing students’ growth in the classroom throughout the semester.

“In our first lesson, she shared that she was a more passive listener back in her student days,” Sandy Liu ’25, who is currently taking Professor Sahasrabuddhe’s World Politics, said. “She was shy to speak up during classroom discussions so she wholeheartedly understands introverts in the classroom.”

Professor Saharasbuddhe hopes to continue growing as an instructor at Wellesley.

“I received emails from students I taught at Cornell and they were telling me how they encounter concepts I taught in lessons,” she said.

Professor Schaefer, a visiting lecturer in the anthropology department, is also currently a doctoral student at the University of Illinois, Chicago studying hair recovered from mummies who were sacrificed in the Andes. Their interest in human sacrifice relates to one of the classes they are teaching this semester, titled “The Archaeology of Human Sacrifice: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Politics of Death.”

In addition to their class on human sacrifice, Professor Schaefer is also currently teaching Forensic Anthropology. 

“I’m really excited to teach the classes that I do because they really are thematic to my dissertation research,” they said. “It’s allowing me to build my pedagogical skills while also implementing and integrating my own research praxis.”

Professor Schaefer is originally from Western Massachusetts, and they took the position at Wellesley partially to be closer to their mother. When they finish their studies, they would like to become a professor while also working at a museum. So far, they have found Wellesley to be a welcoming environment, especially after teaching virtually for over a year.

“It’s not so different from my undergrad experience besides it being [a historically] women’s college,” Professor Schaefer, who is queer and nonbinary, said. “A lot of the topics that I’m covering … the politics and subjugation of the body … in other more mixed-gender classes it takes a little bit longer, but here I’ve found that everybody is right there and they understand what’s going on.”

Professor Romeu, a visiting lecturer in the Spanish department, arrived at Wellesley on Sept. 10. She is currently teaching Spanish 241 and Spanish 269, The Caribbean Experience, which were originally slated to be taught by Professor Joy Renjilian-Burgy. 

Professor Romeu is originally from Cuba, so she is excited to teach students about her region of origin. She first moved to Miami around 20 years ago and then relocated to Boston, having also taught Spanish at Berklee College of Music, Emerson College, Boston University and University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Before coming to the US, she also lived in Mexico and has worked in various industries such as oceanography, children’s journalism, environmental journalism and literature. She has a degree in geography and loves to incorporate her background in environmentalism into her work as a Spanish professor. 

“I have had a life with diverse professions, and that has made my life very interesting,” she said. “I am interested in bringing my knowledge and experience about nature and the Caribbean to Wellesley.”

Professor Romeu is excited to teach at Wellesley because of the College’s tradition and renown. Even though she only started at Wellesley two weeks ago during the pandemic, she described her experience so far as “precious.”

“It is a challenge to continue transmitting everything that one knows through a mask for the first time in my life,” she said. 

Nevertheless, Professor Romeu and her fellow new faculty members are optimistic about the relaxation of COVID restrictions on campus and their experiences so far.

Born and raised in Dallas to a large Texan family, Díaz has always been fascinated with the Spanish language and working with people.

“I love meeting new people I otherwise wouldn’t get to know and talk in Spanish…in a low-key environment,” she said, adding that it has been a really important part of her Wellesley experience. She feels that the premise of Spanish tables, “talking to people, getting to know their stories, and just being social,” makes them the perfect opportunity for her varying interests and personality type.

While Díaz didn’t always know she wanted to be involved in an event like the Spanish Tables, she always felt a calling to the Boston area and all of the outreach that was possible there. Her older sister went to Babson College and recommended she visit Wellesley, which she was so glad she did as “it felt right.” Now a senior, she has had ample time to take advantage of all that Wellesley has to offer. Taking various courses to complete her psychology and health & society studies as well as working as a research assistant and TA in the psychology department, Díaz doesn’t have much free time, but she makes the most of what she has.

Díaz not only enjoys her time at Spanish Table, but also her entire experience at Wellesley College. The community at Wellesley is a significant reason as to why Díaz has demonstrated such a commitment to the Spanish tables. She appreciates the ability of the diverse and changing community to “create different experiences” for so many people as it allows for an environment that is reflective of more people. Díaz loves that so many people can find their own space and group to grow and flourish within all while on the same campus.

While Spanish Table is typically advertised to students in the Spanish department as a way to practice their literacy skills with peers of varying levels, all Wellesley students are encouraged to attend. People can come to the tables with a bilingual background in Spanish or no prior knowledge of the language whatsoever, and they will be welcomed in with open arms. Díaz feels that Spanish tables are “a great excuse to meet new people,” that they are “so rewarding!”

Another benefit of Spanish Tables that Díaz notes is the minimal time commitment. Spanish Table occurs once a week for about an hour around lunch time in dining halls, common spaces, and social areas so they are extremely accessible for all schedules. The tutors are always available to speak conversationally, focus on specific topics, or help with difficult assignments in a conversational setting and they are extremely helpful for those that utilize them. If nothing else, stop by the next Spanish Table to meet some new friends and enjoy a vibrant meal!

He enrolled as an undergraduate at Yale, where he spent his first year in a ‘Great Books’ program in which he read a selection of the major works of the Western canon in philosophy, literature, history and politics. Matthes’ focus on philosophy was somewhat derailed during the middle years of his college career, as he turned towards literature. In the fall of his senior year, however, Matthes returned to philosophy, a move impelled by his aspiration to have a career in education.

“I was really interested in being a teacher, first and foremost. I wasn’t necessarily into the idea of being a philosopher, which I think is somewhat atypical,” he said. “When I was reflecting on my own college experience, the classes that I enjoyed the most were always the philosophy classes.”

Matthes ultimately earned a degree in both English and philosophy and then entered the University of California, Berkeley for his graduate studies. He began teaching at Wellesley in 2013. At Wellesley, his main research interests deal with the ethics, politics and aesthetics of cultural heritage. In particular, he is interested in how cultural heritage is manifested in the environment, a theme which informs much of his teaching in courses on the philosophy of art and the environment.

As he settled into his position at the college, he found that he began to address more practical questions, to some extent shedding the abstract lens he had been accustomed to in graduate school. He attributes this shift, at least in part, to the interests of his students and what he considers a “productive feedback loop.”

For instance, in his first year at Wellesley, Matthes assigned a reading on cultural appropriation to the students in his philosophy of art course. Their enthusiastic response and varied takes on the issue prompted him to research further on the topic, and he ultimately incorporated this work into his other classes.

“[S]ometimes students’ interests drive me in slightly different directions from what I was originally thinking about, and then I can bring that back into new classes,” he explained. “So it’s this really productive cycle.”

Matthes is currently working on a book aimed at a more general audience dealing with the problem of the immoral artist, asking the question of what we should do when we encounter revelations which cast beloved artists in an unfavorable light. According to Matthes, his students are in large part responsible for leading him down this path of inquiry.

“[In the Philosophy of Art course,] I always do a unit on ethical criticism of art, the question of whether moral flaws in an artwork constitute artistic flaws. … But my students have always been interested in this other question: ‘What about the moral character of the artist as opposed to just the moral content of the artwork, and what relationship does that have to the quality of the artwork?’”

What became apparent was a discrepancy between the questions that were most absorbing the students and the current academic discussions on the topic.

“So, over years of now having students ask those questions which are not what the readings are on — because that’s not actually what philosophers have been working on — that suggests to me that there’s real room here to engage productively with these questions and maybe provide a philosophical framework for thinking about these things that doesn’t really exist yet,” said Matthes.

Matthes is also passionate about public philosophy, citing his first experience teaching a Calderwood Seminar as the catalyst for his own serious engagement with the field. Over the course of the seminar, Matthes invited philosophers engaged with public audiences to speak to the class, notably Kate Manne, author of “Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny,” and Myisha Cherry, host and producer of the UnMute podcast.

According to Matthes, the benefits of public philosophy are by no means one-sided.

“Sometimes, doing academic work can feel really isolating — you’re in your office working on something and then you publish some article and you’re like, ‘Is anybody going to read this?’ So writing purposefully for a public audience is a way, I think, of getting out of that isolating space,” he explained.

In his public writing, Matthes strives to bring philosophical thought to wider audiences. More broadly, Matthes strives to expand notions of what deserves philosophical treatment, informed by a diverse range of influences.  

“I think some people are sometimes dismissive of popular culture as a source of engaging academic questions, but that’s totally wrong. All of the interesting questions that you can ask about Wagner or artsy film you can ask about Bring It On.”

        Growing up in the Bay Area, Tynes always knew he had a fascination with technology. As such, he attended UC Santa Cruz as an intended Computer Science major, but quickly transferred to the Media Arts and Sciences route with a focus in Electronic Intermedia as he “didn’t realize there would be so much Calculus.” In other words, to anyone struggling in Calculus 1: you’re not alone. During his time at UCSC, Tynes participated in “a lot of electronic art and installations” which really fulfilled his yearning to work in a blended environment of art and tech.

Following UCSC, he enrolled in graduate school at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University and developed an interest in theater as well as freelance videography. While at Tufts, Tynes was able to connect with one of his undergraduate advisors who was being hosted by a theater production company in Cambridge. Through this connection, hard work, clear talent and a bit of luck, Tynes began doing technical direction for the company and traveled through Europe with them for a few months. “Despite having no idea what [he] was doing,” Tynes loved working on the project and became even more involved in video and sound projects.

After a few months working with the theater company and finishing his Tufts degree, Tynes was offered a job in the Art Department at Wellesley College. Throughout the last six years, he has worked his way through various departments and opportunities until reaching his current role in the Knapp Media and Technology Center. Tynes had enjoyed every position he’s had at Wellesley, but he loves how his current job allows him to utilize his “natural ability with technical skills in the design field.” Every day, he gets to “explore new things in those fields” and is extremely excited every time he gets to witness the “presence of media in communication, the various things you can do with technical computer skills, and the pursuit of more in higher education.”

However, this is not to say that Tyne’s job doesn’t come with difficulties. While he does find it “remarkable” every time he sees “a student come in with a question or problem” and gets to “work with them and give them the skills to find the best way to address that problem or the best solution,” he is challenged by the level and amount of work that always needs to be done in such an “incredibly enthusiastic field” that is constantly developing and changing. On top of all that, he also “partners with other departments to design assignments that utilize Wellesley’s technological facilities and supports everything that happens in the Knapp Center, including student appointments, the internship program, equipment rental and circulation, faculty and student research, and open labs.” Therefore, it is no surprise that Tynes sometimes struggles with “managing the volume of enthusiasm and being aware of his time so he can give everyone the chance to learn with adequate resources.”

Aside from his incredibly busy role in the Knapp Center, Tynes teaches alongside various faculty members and helps develop blended learning initiatives and exercises like video essays, podcasts, and media production. Specifically, Tynes has worked with the Anthropology Department to build Virtual Reality platforms for osteology labs that explain the evolution of human anatomy, and also with the Classics Department on their Greek excavation project “to bring digital processes like scanning, drones, and electronic mapping.”

Through these projects, Tynes has been astounded by how “serious Wellesley students are about the work they’re doing” and how “they always surprise [him] with their dedication, even when [he] thinks [he’s] seen the limit.” He also loves how the college “seems to be constantly changing because [his] field is very connected to change and the embrace of it. Overall, Tynes has been shocked by the endless, incredible things he has been able to do at and through Wellesley. The College has allowed him to not only explore his own interests, from “the intersection of gaming and education” to “the critical study of various types of media,” but it has also helped him inspire others to do the same.

A Missouri native and Mount Holyoke College graduate, Barletta initially came to Boston for a job with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She spent 17 years as the Director of Exhibitions, Marketing and Publications at a contemporary art gallery in Boston, but eventually decided she wanted to move on.

“[I] enjoyed planning and curating exhibitions, working with a diverse group of artists, [and]engaging with collectors and museums, but over time … I was too comfortable in my role and needed new challenges,” said Barletta. Acting as an inspiration to those facing big change and trying to determine what their futures entail, she applied for the Career Advisor role at Wellesley Career Education, which she felt “was necessary [to] continue growing” about 18 months ago. After getting the job, Barletta knew she was in for a future that may not always be easy, but would never cease to be rewarding.  

In her current role, Barletta’s main tasks are to “support and connect students, employers, alumnae and faculty in this career community.” Such a task may sound simple enough given the already ambitious and organized nature of Wellesley students preparing for graduation, but Barletta has demonstrated significant effort in helping Wellesley students in the most efficient ways possible. She works one on one with both students and alumnae to advise them in employer relations and notify them of programs and events relevant to their intended careers. Her overarching goal in all of her work “is to create a physical and virtual community to educate Wellesley students on trends and issues in these areas, provide knowledge about professional pathways, and connect [students] with alumnae and employers for information and mentorship.” With such a beneficial and necessary contribution to the Wellesley community, it is simple to see why Barletta did not hesitate to dive into her role.  

In her nearly two years at Wellesley, Barletta has thoroughly enjoyed the “unique combination of experiences, challenges, values, and aspirations” that Wellesley students and alumnae bring to the conversation. Their varying backgrounds, identities and understandings of the world have expanded her mindset in ways she never thought imaginable. However, she does find it “challenging to see students struggle with the idea of several possible professional pathways rather than a single ‘right’ choice.” As college students and recent graduates, it can be difficult to determine the best choice for your future so quickly and definitively. Thus, Barletta makes a point to always encourage her advisees to “live [their]way to the answer,” rather than worry incessantly about making the perfect choice just after graduation — or even before, as eager Wellesley students often tend to do.

While Barletta loves her job and all of the opportunities it offers and the people it introduces her to, she also has a profound interest “in contemporary studio ceramics and serve[s]on the board for a journal that promotes discussion of aesthetics, technology, criticism, and history within the ceramics community.” She has always enjoyed various styles of art, from “19th  century American art [to] Japanese ceramics from the folk art movement.” Besides her fascinating work with students and long term passions for all artistic endeavors, Barletta also “used to have a private pilot license,” which allowed her to witness “the unique perspective of exploring the landscape from 12,000 feet above!” Much like her work at Wellesley, her time as a private pilot allowed her to look at things differently and approach situations in a new way.

Wellesley College works diligently to open minds and expand the worldview of all those that encounter its values, and such a mission has been particularly successful with Destiny Barletta. She has been encouraged to think in different ways and operate under a new mentality, and she has appreciated it greatly.

Speaking of all that Wellesley has brought into her life in just the last 18 months, Barletta said, “The Wellesley Community has offered many opportunities to consider the value of the phrase, ‘May we seek more to understand than to convince.’” Furthermore, Barletta keeps such advice at the forefront of her mind in every meeting, conversation and encounter she has within the Wellesley Community. If you ever need career counseling or just want to discuss all things art, you know who to email: Destiny Barletta.

Originally from California, Moazeni grew up loving theater and acting. Throughout her time as a student at Wellesley, Moazeni demonstrated a strong interest in theater, majoring in theater studies and participating in Shakespeare Society and Upstage productions. She was also passionate about the preservation of historical works in libraries, hence her love for her role in Clapp Library.

Moazeni has always had a deep love for Wellesley, starting before she even enrolled as a student years ago. She had been living in Brooklyn while working in the Archive and Special Collection at New York University. However, when the opportunity to work at Wellesley arose, Moazeni had no qualms about packing her bags and returning to her roots. She bought a house in Natick with her husband this past summer in order to start working at Wellesley in the fall.

In her role as research and instruction librarian, Moazeni supports both students and faculty. Her main goal in the community, though, is conferencing with students and providing feedback and support on their assignments and projects.

“I meet with students one on one to discuss the projects or assignments that they’re working on. Then, I provide individually tuned feedback and guidance to help them make their work even better,” she said.

She also consults with faculty members and professors to help them find ways to incorporate the topics they are teaching into innovative and engaging assignments. Furthermore, she visits classes and talks with students about what they’re working on and how to use the resources available to them. She provides this support in a variety of ways, from pulling supporting evidence from books already in the library to directing students to specific archives online that relate to their research.  

“I usually help students find different types of sources, narrow their topic or discover new ways to present their material,” she said.

Though her job entails many different duties, Moazeni’s favorite part is working with students. She has always been passionate about the students at Wellesley. However, her role as a staff member has given her a different outlook as she interacts with them.

“I love engaging with them because they constantly become more intelligent and have such interesting ideas, perspectives and contexts from looking at their own worlds – everyone comes from a different background,” she said.

Moazeni also expressed her excitement for working with some of her old professors. She has enjoyed getting to interact with members of the college in a way that is very different from the way she did as a student.

While she loves how busy her job keeps her, Moazeni does say that it is hard to balance all of her obligations. Between supporting and improving the 12 different department distributions assigned to her and meeting with students, faculty and classes, her calendar “is a sea of half-hour meetings.”

Nevertheless, Moazeni is passionate about her role at Wellesley and feels like it is a perfect combination of all of her favorite things: community engagement, library work and the college itself. She loves all of the hands-on work she gets to do with students, though she feels like it is never quite enough. She urges students to reach out to the library staff more often. They are an incredible resource that the college offers, and their main purpose is helping students better themselves first and their work second.  

“Come to the library! We’re here to help. We’re the people that want to support you, but don’t get to grade you. We’ll listen to your ideas and offer new perspectives and resources to help you succeed even greater. Don’t forget about us!” she said.

Mayans grew up and completed her undergraduate studies in southern France, and is currently working to obtain her master’s degree in English by the end of this year from Sciences Po Aix. She has always wanted to be an English teacher, so the opportunity to teach at Wellesley this year has been exactly what she has always dreamed of. Prior to working at Wellesley, Mayans gained experience through teaching English to young children in a French elementary school.

Though she greatly enjoyed her time at the elementary school, Mayans has fallen in love with her current job.  

“Nothing could be better than working at Wellesley!” she said.

In France, Wellesley College is not on everyone’s radar. But, luckily for Mayans, Sciences Po Aix offers an exchange program with Wellesley. Mayans immediately became interested in the French exchange program and applied for the role.

Since coming to Wellesley, Mayans has become part of a variety of opportunities on campus. To fulfill her role as a TA, Mayans holds office hours three days each week for French students to get help on homework, ask questions about the French department or simply converse in French to brush up on their verbal skills. She loves playing a mediating role between students and faculty and enjoys the personal interactions she gets to share with French students.

Outside of her TA duties, Mayans also assembles an exhibit on the second floor of Founders Hall every other month, focusing on a theme pertinent to the French department. The premise of the exhibit is to educate the Wellesley community about different aspects of French lifestyle, language and culture. This month, the exhibit features French inventions. Through conducting research, Mayans has learned many new things about her own country and its history.

“I was shocked by the amount of things the French had invented! I was so proud with the results of my research,” she said.

A significant component of Mayans’ role on campus is her commitment to the French House. She takes care of residents, and organizes community events and birthday parties for the French House live-ins.

On a typical day, Mayans starts her morning with yoga and gets ready in the French House with her housemates. Then, she begins her office hours — which she wishes more students would take advantage of — before heading to French Table with the other French TA, Anne-Laure Sabathier. After chatting in French with Wellesley students, Mayans goes to a Women’s and Gender Studies course, “Growing Up In A Gendered World.” Mayans loves getting to take new classes and expand her horizons alongside other Wellesley students, which is an opportunity she would not have gotten at home.

“I really love that Wellesley has these types of classes because most French universities don’t offer anything like this,” she said.

After her class, Mayans meets with friends on campus, works on tasks or walks around the lake before grabbing dinner on campus. Following dinner and any last on-campus obligations, Mayans heads back to the French House for the night.

Overall, Mayans loves her role at Wellesley. She gets to work extensively with faculty, staff and students and is amazed by all of the opportunities available to her on campus. She wishes students would participate more in French events. Mayans urges students to come to her office hours and French Table even if it’s just to talk about their plans for the weekend. As Mayans is a TA, she gets to connect with students on a personal level and become friends with the students she is helping.

“I share more in common with Wellesley students than they think! I’d love to talk to them more!” she said.