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!

        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.

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.

“Through the various sustainability projects, we have kept over two tons of Wellesley College materials out of Massachusetts landfills and has saved an estimated $75,000 worth of goods through recycling,” said Herder.

Two of the most notable sustainability events that Herder leads are the sustainability sale in August and move out donation drive in May. At the end of every school year, Wellesley students are encouraged to donate any unwanted, gently used clothes, school books, dorm accessories and appliances to the fundraiser. Then, at the beginning of the following fall semester, students have the ability to purchase the goods at a reduced price, all with the knowledge that the products have come from a sustainable source.

Herder has also increased the college’s participation in the “Food for Free” program. This program takes leftover food from Wellesley, Babson and Olin and redistributes it around the community to those who need it. The program encourages communities to stop wasting excess goods and provides disadvantaged members of the community with free, safe, nutritious food.

“I have always been extremely interested in food rescue with local grocery stores and wanted to create a collaborative effort between non-profits, local schools and areas colleges to synergize all of them,” said Herder.

Herder has dedicated significant time to not only protecting the Wellesley College environment, but also that of the broader New England area. In 2017, after two long years of hard work, Herder and the college community were awarded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Merit Award, the highest regional recognition an organization or person can receive for their efforts to protect the New England environment.

Currently, Herder is trying to wrap her brain around the amount of trash that exists on this campus, what to do with the recyclable goods and how to create less trash in general. She is constantly in meetings with local non-profits and area universities in order to connect them with Wellesley and create a more sustainable environment.

“I work with faculty to integrate sustainability into the curriculum and connect subject matter with sustainable practices or social issues regarding sustainability,” said Herder.

Herder has been impressed by the student involvement and dedication on sustainability matters and loves working with such passionate young people.

“I love how my role allows me to intersect with future leaders and help young people gain experience and skills in fields that will benefit them later on in their careers. I truly believe that this generation of college students will solve the pressing sustainability issues we are all facing,” said Herder.

So, how can Wellesley students get involved in campus sustainability? Look around! Herder is constantly organizing various programming events in residence halls about how to leave the smallest footprint possible. She also regularly offers courses and workshops in sustainability that talk about reducing water and energy consumption and how to recycle more goods. Overall, there are endless ways to play a bigger role in campus sustainability, and Herder is always looking for new volunteers.

Wang grew up in New Jersey and attended Carnegie Mellon University. While attending Carnegie Mellon, Wang received degrees in both English and psychology. Following her undergraduate studies, Wang received a Master’s Degree and Doctoral Degree in American Studies from William and Mary University. After finishing her degree at William and Mary, Wang felt a calling to work more closely with students to help them figure out their individual role in student life.

“I took a sharp left and decided to pivot my focus towards student affairs at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in New York City,” she said.

Through this transition, Wang realized that she no longer wanted to use her skillset to impact the broad realm of New York City. She prefers a more specialized profession that allows her to directly impact individual students and work with them on a more personal level. Therefore, she wrote to a mentor at Carnegie Mellon and was named the Gender and LGBT+ Director at CMU, a role which allowed her to do more hands on work directly in leadership and student life. “I am really passionate about helping people with the process of discovering who they want to be, so my job at CMU never really felt like work,” said Wang.

Her role at CMU allowed her to encourage more open lines of communication between all types of people and inspired within many the belief that one of the simplest ways to become the best version of yourself is through dialogue and a sense of wellbeing. Wang worked diligently to promote a true sense of belonging in every space she encountered at CMU.

With things seeming so perfect at CMU, it’s easy to understand why Wang wasn’t looking for another job. However, Wang was slowly beginning to realize a desire for something that was missing from her work.

“Although I really enjoyed what I was working on at CMU and all of it was very important to me intellectually, none of it was resonating with my soul,” she said.

Nevertheless, she kept with it as she loved the community at CMU and how it had so greatly impacted and transformed her. Slowly but surely, her friends, colleagues and family members began to send her little snippets and clips of the job posting for director of residential life and housing at Wellesley College. At first, Wang ignored them. But overtime she began to realize how perfectly-suited the role at Wellesley seemed for her. As she gave it more thought, Wang recalls her realization of her calling to go to Wellesley.

“Sometimes you have to leave the people you love and world you know to do new, even more incredible things,” she said.

Wang realized that the transformative nature of her job at CMU was even more apparent on a campus like Wellesley’s.

“I yearned to be part of a community filled with so many talented and capacious women, and I really wanted to give back to those women,” she said.

Wang couldn’t help but gravitate towards the application. So she applied, and got the job. She started working at the college in early April of 2018, a fast and furious time on Wellesley’s campus following college government elections. She was still silently grieving the loss of her community and focus at CMU, but Wang used the emotion as a motivator and jumped headfirst into working hard and building her curriculum.

Wang was immediately taken under the wings of student leaders, house presidents and mentors who guided her along the way. She was soon struck by how much she had to learn about the Wellesley community. Wang loves that so many students, faculty and staff at Wellesley work hard to grasp every new opportunity.

“Everyone here truly has a capacity to change the world,” Wang said.  

At Wellesley, Wang has observed reserve when it comes to administrative support for students on campus, and she’s very interested in understanding where that comes from and how she can help students to realize that she really is here to be helpful to them. She is eager to work with and hear Wellesley’s smart, analytical and rightly critical students present their issues so she can figure out how to solve them. Despite being fairly new, Wang is already very busy at Wellesley. However, she will stop anything for students.

With that being said, if you ever need to sit down with someone and talk about your campus experience, what your role at Wellesley means or just want to watch a movie in the common room, head over to Freeman and ask for Helen’s apartment. She might be doing yoga with her son or working on a new proposal for the dean’s cabinet, but her door is always open for students.

This season, two seniors on the volleyball team, Reece and Samantha Hoang ’19, have already reached career milestones that have become huge motivators for the team as a whole. Just days ago, Reece, a middle hitter, achieved her one thousandth career kill, which is when a player earns the team a point spiking the ball over the net in a way that makes it impossible to save. Similarly, Hoang, the libero, performed her one thousandth career dig, a dive to the ground to save the ball from hitting the floor after an intended kill from the opposing team.

Neither of these milestones came as a shock to the players, as they have been working diligently towards the achievements for four years. However, both Reece and Hoang were overwhelmed by the feeling of pride and success that washed over them upon hearing they had finally reached their goal. When asked how surreal the moment was for her, Hoang said, “Besides just being a career milestone, it was so uplifting because all of the behind the scenes work in practice, weight training and working out over breaks really paid off and all of the effort, sweat and tears have finally come into the light.” Similarly, Reece recalls, “All of the ups and downs over the last four years really culminated for me in that moment. Remembering all of the time, energy and effort that was sacrificed throughout my volleyball career was so satisfying. I may have cried!”

Even if they had not achieved their goals, both Reece and Hoang stated they would be extremely pleased with the season thus far. Speaking of how she usually judges the future of the team, Hoang says, “The first game always gives us a gauge of how the season will go and it went really well this year. I think we’ll go much further in the NCAA Tournament this year.” Watching their teammates work hard in every practice, game and workout has been incredibly rewarding and has helped the team to grow closer together. The motivation and talent of other members on the court inspires them to work harder and play better because they can’t win if they work alone. The only wish Reese and Hoang still have for the season is to see more participation from non-athlete students. Hoang cannot stress enough how hard the student athletes work, and how rewarding it is to see their classmates and peers in the stands during a game. Reece completely agrees, saying, “It means a lot to the team to have a strong turnout at every game. The fan energy really does make us play better!” Well, Wellesley, there is no better way to procrastinate on your homework for another hour or so. Get out there and support the Wellesley Blue! See you at the next game.