Student Spotlight: GCAs at the UPMC Hereditary GI Tumor Program

 

Lauren Garcia (left) and Aika Miikeda

We work at the UPMC Hereditary GI Tumor Program as Genetic Counseling Assistants (GCAs). The majority of patients come to our clinic for hereditary GI cancer risk assessment or management, including Lynch Syndrome, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC), Familial Pancreatic Cancer (FPC), and more. The team consists of a gastroenterologist specializing in hereditary GI predispositions, two genetic counselors, Beth and Eve, and several research coordinators who enroll and coordinate patient participation in various research studies. Typically, we see about 10 new patients per week. Patients with known familial variants may choose to have single-site testing, and others may be tested using multigene panels that include many cancer predisposition syndromes. One of our roles as GCAs is to collect relevant past/current medical histories and family history information before these appointments. Other tasks include entering pedigrees and genetic test results and inputting patient information into the research registry. Both of us have the same roles and are assigned to each genetic counselor in the clinic.

 

What’s it like to work at the clinic? 

Working at the GI Tumor Clinic continues to be a unique and rewarding experience. Both of us feel that it's been valuable in our development as future genetic counselors. It has been especially helpful in applying core genetic counseling skills, like constructing pedigrees and interpreting genetic test results. During the beginning of the pandemic, the office set up remote options for the previous GCAs, which allowed us to have a lot of flexibility when we took our positions. Both of us had periods where we worked out of the state or out of the country because we had access to everything we needed from home. Even with loosening restrictions, we are still mostly remote, which has been helpful during busy rotation schedules. Each of us stops by the office about once a week to drop off or pick up paperwork. Typically, the GI clinic has one GCA per class, but when we entered the program, they decided to hire two GCAs. Having two GCAs allows us more flexibility and the opportunity to learn and discuss questions with one another, especially in the current remote nature of our job.

 

Why did we choose this position?

Lauren: Before grad school, I had a strong interest in cancer genetics and worked as a researcher in a cancer laboratory, mainly focusing on breast and ovarian cancer. I knew that I wanted to continue working in this space and was excited to apply for this position, as it seemed like a great fit. In addition, I liked that I would be able to actively apply what I was learning in class, such as constructing pedigrees, reading test results, and becoming more familiar with GI cancers and the many roles of a genetic counselor in this environment.

Aika: I have always been interested in GI cancer predisposition syndromes, and I wanted to do my thesis on this topic when I got into a GC program. When the GI Tumor Program work position became available, I was very excited to apply and learn more from my work position. We are also provided an opportunity to do a thesis with them, and I am on board with exploring my thesis in the clinic. I am very thankful for being able to explore my interest in the cancer genetics field as a GCA.

 

 

Prospective Applicant Experiences

 As we finish one application cycle and prepare to enter another, many individuals are wondering how they can improve their applications to have the best chance of matching with a genetic counseling program. It’s important to have experiences that prepare someone for entering graduate school as well as the field of genetic counseling. Shadowing genetic counselors is a classic example of this, but there are actually many more potential experiences individuals can consider.

 

If you want to become a genetic counselor, the most important thing you need is exposure to the field -- essentially, learning what it means to be a genetic counselor to ensure that it’s what you really want to do. Shadowing is the most hands-on way to do this, but finding opportunities can be difficult. There aren’t many genetic counselors compared to other healthcare providers, and they tend to cluster in larger cities, making it harder for individuals in rural areas. Healthcare systems also might place restrictions on whether individuals are allowed to shadow genetic counselors during sessions with patients, even when we’re not in the midst of a pandemic. If you can get shadowing experience, great! If not, here are some other resources!

 

Talk to genetic counselors -- by phone, by email, by whatever means you can. At www.nsgc.org, you can search for genetic counselors who are open to being contacted by individuals interested in the profession. Asking questions of genetic counselors practicing in a variety of settings is a great way to learn about genetic counseling straight from the source. This will help give you an idea of their day-to-day life, their favorite and least favorite parts about their job, and whatever else you’re interested in. Genetic counselors love helping prospective applicants, so don’t be afraid to reach out!

 

Educate yourself. There’s a whole host of media out there for you -- podcasts, books, seminars, webinars and more. These can teach you not only about what the field of genetic counseling is like in general, but also about specific genetic syndromes, legal debates, issues within the profession, and more. Use these resources to round out your understanding of the field.

 

This isn’t a comprehensive list of ways to get exposure to the field, but it’s a good starting place if you’re feeling a little lost. Anything that helps you learn about genetic counseling counts! Just remember to list it somewhere in your application -- if you don’t, how will programs know all the work you did?

A Day in the Life: First-Year Students

One of the most common questions prospective students ask is, “What is it like to be a student in your program?” We hope to answer that, at least from the perspective of a first-year student at the University of Pittsburgh. Both inside and outside of the curriculum, each student has a unique daily experience. Here’s a brief look at that variety! 

This year has taught me that I need a routine in my life more than I originally thought I did! The majority of our semester has been online, which means I spend the majority of my day in my apartment. In the beginning of the year it was difficult to find the best way to organize my time outside of classes. I was so used to the routine of getting up and going to class (in undergrad) or work (before starting GC school) that without a specific routine of where I needed to be, I found myself spending the time between or after classes in ways that probably weren’t helpful to getting my work done. Once I forced myself to set a schedule of when I would be in class, when I would work on schoolwork, and when I would work my part-time job, I had a much easier time with the semesters. Now that I’ve made myself more of a schedule, I find myself spending the day going to class, studying, and/or working as a part-time genetic counselor assistant at Children’s Hospital, and even finding time to hangout with my classmates, work out, or catch up on episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race and 90 Day Fiancé. Grad school in a pandemic is definitely strange, but it’s a unique experience and I’m happy to have such a great group of people to do it with. 
-Julia Knapo

Throughout my first two semesters in the Pitt program I’ve spent most of my time in classes and at my part-time job! We do the majority of our classes within the first year, and then do mostly clinical work during our second year. Almost all of our classes have been remote this year so I’ve been spending most of my class time in my apartment here in Pittsburgh. We did get to have a few classes in-person when cases in the city were low, which was a really great experience! Aside from classes I’ve also been spending time working a part-time job at Magee-Womens Hospital as a genetic counselor assistant. It can be tough to balance working a job with my school work, but I really value the time that I spend working in the clinic at Magee. Whenever I have free time, I generally like to try and explore Pittsburgh or spend time with my classmates! The pandemic has definitely made that more difficult, but we’ve been able to spend time with each other in socially distant ways which has still been such a fun time!

-Savannah Binion

It’s hard to sum up what “a day in the life” of a first-year student is, because each day feels totally different from the last, and each student has a different day. From the outside, it looks like I spend most of my time in my apartment, attending classes via Zoom while my classmates do the same from their apartments. While that’s true, our classes progress quickly, so it feels like every day I’m a bit more of a genetic counselor than the last, and it never gets boring. Our knowledge base builds upon itself and enables us to take on new assignments and tackle new parts of the genetic counseling process. We are full-time students, so this learning takes up the majority of my day or my week, but it still leaves plenty of time for other pursuits! I have a part-time work position as the student worker for the first-year class, and I love the flexibility of being able to choose my own schedule for that. I find time to explore the city, go on walks around nearby parks, and bake enough bread to feed a family. And we all find time to meet up for socially distant get-togethers!

-Bailey Sasseville

Reflection on the Leadership Seminar with Aishwarya Arjunan

Each year, the Pitt genetic counseling students invite a leader in the genetics field to speak with current students and give a seminar that addresses leadership for the department. This year, the class of 2021 invited Aishwarya Arjunan, MS, MPH, CGC, CPH. Aishwarya graduated from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health with a dual degree in Public Health and Genetic Counseling, as well as a certificate of Global Health. After graduating, she practiced as a clinical genetic counselor in Chicago for 2 years at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital and the Center for Jewish Genetics. Aishwarya has since then transitioned into industry, now serving as a Senior Clinical Product Manager for carrier screening with Myriad Genetics. She is a tireless advocate for medical and patient communities, constantly voicing the inequities of race-based medicine and the importance of expanded carrier screening in reducing healthcare disparities. In her talk, Aishwarya shared her experiences as a minority genetic counselor and her thoughts regarding where the field of genetic counseling stands today. In this blog, some of our student’s share their thoughts after Aishwarya’s presentation.

 

To view Aishwarya’s presentation, please visit: https://pitt.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=0671db55-98c4-4a2f-ba43-acbf0139df07

 

I really enjoyed Aishwarya’s presentation! It was clear from her talk that we have come a long way as a field in terms of providing opportunities for inclusion for individuals with a minority background, however we still have a long way to go. It was really interesting hearing Aishwarya’s own story of how she became so involved in the field and now acts as an advocate for change and inclusion. I truly appreciate that Aishwarya took the time to give a presentation to the Human Genetics department and then meet with the GC students afterward.

Michael Gosky, Class of 2021

 

I met Aishwarya during our virtual rotation with Myriad Women’s Health over the summer, and her knowledge and passion for her work was inspiring. I was so happy that she was able to speak at our Leadership Seminar and talk about her experiences. The utility of expanded carrier screening was a hot topic at NSGC this past year, so I was grateful to hear her perspective on it, both as a minority genetic counselor and as a product manager at Myriad. She is an excellent role model and mentor!

Megan Czekalski, Class of 2021

 

I appreciated Aishwarya taking the time to meet with us! It was a timely reminder of how many opportunities we have as genetics professionals to make healthcare more equitable. I also was grateful that she discussed provider burnout and how to make sure we don’t overextend ourselves.

Chelsey Walsh, Class of 2021

Podcasts and Movies and Books, Oh My!

Our students are always looking for creative ways to stay engaged with the field of genetics, especially now, when in-person learning opportunities are difficult to find. Luckily, there are many wonderful podcasts, movies, books, and webinars to keep us entertained and help us learn. Below is a list of genetics-related resources recommended by our second-year students. These resources are great for prospective students and anyone interested in genetics and genetic counseling.

 

Genetics-Related Podcasts 

Patient Stories with Grey Genetics – “a genetic counselor who works in telegenetics interviews patients about their experiences. This is a great podcast for gaining prospective on the patient experience.” -2^nd year student

 

DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast – “a genetic counseling graduate student interviews GCs, researchers, patient advocates, and genetics professors. Our very own Pitt GC alumna, Lauren Winter, was featured on episode #113!” -2^nd year student

 

Base Pairs – “a genetics podcast run by science journalists out of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Their audience base is broader than just GCs, so they do not only talk about clinical issues. They have some really great (and approachable) episodes, including a two-part series on “The Dark Matter of the Genome.” This is possibly my favorite genetics podcast. Tragically, they have not posted an episode since December 2018.” -2^nd year student

 

Science Friday – “I have not personally listened to this one (yet), but a friend who works in a research lab highly recommended it. They do not specifically focus on genetics, but do have episodes about genetics topics.” -2^nd year student

 

Movie Recommendations

The Fundamentals of Caring (available on Netflix) - A writer (Paul Rudd) retires after a personal tragedy and becomes a disabled teen's caregiver. When the two embark on an impromptu road trip, their ability to cope is tested as they start to understand the importance of hope and friendship.

 

GATTACA (available on Hulu) - Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) has always fantasized about traveling into outer space, but is grounded by his status as a genetically inferior "in-valid." He decides to fight his fate by purchasing the genes of Jerome Morrow (Jude Law), a laboratory-engineered "valid." He assumes Jerome's DNA identity and joins the Gattaca space program, where he falls in love with Irene (Uma Thurman). An investigation into the death of a Gattaca officer (Gore Vidal) complicates Vincent's plans.

 

 

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (available on Netflix) - Down the road from Woodstock, a revolution blossomed at a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, transforming their lives and igniting a landmark movement.

 

Lorenzo’s Oil (available on Youtube) - About a little boy with a genetic condition, and his parents’ quest to find an answer and a treatment for him.

 

Simon Birch (available on Prime Video) - Simon Birch (Ian Michael Smith) and Joe Wenteworth (Joseph Mazzello) are boys who have a reputation for being oddballs. Joe never knew his father, and his mother, Rebecca (Ashley Judd), is keeping her lips sealed, no matter how much he protests. Simon, meanwhile, is an 11-year-old with short stature  whose outsized personality belies his small stature. Indeed, he often assails the local reverend (David Strathairn) with thorny theological questions and joins Joe on his quest to find his biological father.

 

Far From the Tree (also a book by Andrew Solomon) (available on Hulu) - Parents of children who have Down syndrome, dwarfism or autism share intimate stories of the challenges they face.

 

Three Identical Strangers (available on Hulu) - Identical triplets become separated at birth and adopted by three different families. Years later, their amazing reunion becomes a global sensation, but it also unearths an unimaginable secret that has radical repercussions.

Book Recommendations

Abraham Lincoln’s DNA, by Philip Reilly (nonfiction) – “slightly out of date, but a collection of very interesting essays on genetics and historical figures.” -2^nd year student

 

The Philadelphia Chromosome, by Jessica Wapner (nonfiction) – “about the discovery of the Philadelphia chromosome and development of targeted therapy for CML” -2^nd year student

 

Idaho, by Emily Ruskovitch (fiction) – “possibly the most beautiful book I have ever read. Without spoiling anything, it is about a man with early onset dementia and has a lot to do with memory, grief, guilt, etc.” -2^nd year student

 

Dark Blonde, by Belle Waring (poetry) – “a collection of poems written by a NICU nurse about her work experience” -2^nd year student

 

Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova (fiction)- “a really good book about a family with Huntington’s disease” -2^nd year student

 

ATLAS, by Katrina Vandenberg (poetry) – “a collection written by my friend and former professor whose first partner had hemophilia. He passed away in the 90’s due to AIDS. She talks about their relationship, in this book, and about her grief after his passing. Similar themes in her second book, THE ALPHABET NOT UNLIKE THE WORLD.” -2^nd year student

 

Stone Mattress, by Margaret Atwood (short stories) – “I love Atwood, but the real reason this book is on this list is because it includes a compelling short story about a woman with porphyria.” -2^nd year student

 

Future Home of the Living God, by Louise Erdrich (fiction) – “Dystopian read about a world in which evolution begins moving backward. It is written in letter-form, from the perspective of a Native American woman who is unexpectedly pregnant, to her child. Relevant for prenatal considerations, the role of religion, and women’s rights. (Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale similarly relevant!)” -2^nd year student

 

The People in the Trees, by Hanya Yanagihara (fiction) – “very creepy book, but relevant for research ethics, cultural differences, criticism of academic culture” -2^nd year student

 

Breathing for a Living – “written by a patient with Cystic Fibrosis as she waits for a lung transplant. It’s amazing and quick but sad.” -2^nd year student

 

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Anne Fadiman – “A true story about a Hmong girl with epilepsy and her family. Not genetics related but dives really deep into multicultural issues. This happened in the 90s and there was a huge disconnect with the doctors and the family, both who were trying to do what they believed was best, and how treatment was impacted. The story is interspersed with historical background on the Hmong and those parts are fascinating as well.” -2^nd year student

 

It’s Always Something- Gilda Radner – “Gilda’s story about her experience with ovarian cancer. It’s really funny (especially considering the heavy topic). One interesting aspect is that when her doctors stopped listening to her psychosocial concerns, she stopped treatment and turned to macrobiotics/crystals. She goes in depth on why she felt ignored, why the non-conventional treatment helped, and what it took for her to start conventional treatment again.” -2^nd year student

 

Spelling Love with an X - Clare Dunsford- “Written by the mom of a child with Fragile X. Really interesting perspective of how hard it can be without a diagnosis. She was the first identified carrier and other family members ended up testing positive as well, so she also talks about how that changed her relationship with her sibs/nieces/nephews.” -2^nd year student

 

Riding the Bus with my Sister - Rachel Simon – “Rachel Simon's sister Beth is a spirited woman who lives intensely and often joyfully. Beth, who has intellectual disability, spends her days riding the buses in her unnamed Pennsylvania city. The drivers, a lively group, are her mentors; her fellow passengers are her community. One day, Beth asks Rachel to accompany her on the buses for an entire year. This wise, funny, deeply affecting true story is the chronicle of that remarkable time. Rachel, a writer and college teacher whose hyperbusy life camouflaged her emotional isolation, had much to learn in her sister's extraordinary world.” -2^nd year student

 

Webinars/modules/remote learning resources

Oneinforty webinars http://oneinforty.org/upcoming-events/

WSRGN telegenetics resources: https://www.westernstatesgenetics.org/telehealth-resources/

ASHG Online Journal Club https://www.pathlms.com/ashg/courses/18113

MSRGN webinars: https://www.mountainstatesgenetics.org/projects/webinar/

Jackson Laboratory - free genetics educational modules https://learn.education.jax.org/

MSRGN genetics summit presentations (some video archived and some in PDF/PPT format): https://www.mountainstatesgenetics.org/events/msrgn-2019-gentics-summit/2019-genetics-summit-presentations-and-slides/

MSRGN - Indian Health Services (IHS) clinical rounds https://www.mountainstatesgenetics.org/projects/webinar/indiana-health-services-ihs-clinical-rounds-in-genetic-topics/

HRGN webinars https://www.heartlandcollaborative.org/about/projects/webinars/

HRGN video about individualized healthcare plans, and video comparing school plans for kids with special healthcare needs:  https://www.heartlandcollaborative.org/about/projects/current-projects/ihp/

HRGN - Care Coordination: Empowering Families: https://www.heartlandcollaborative.org/files/2014/12/Facilitator-Notes-R4-12-10-14.pdf

HRGN - telegenetics manual: https://www.heartlandcollaborative.org/files/2014/07/HEARTLAND-TELEMEDICINE-MANUAL.pdf

MGN telegenetics intro videos: https://midwestgenetics.org/resources/telemedicine-resources/

Healthcare interpreter webinars/training https://hcinlearn.org/

MGN presentation about healthcare considerations for the Amish population: https://midwestgenetics.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Amish-Culture-Medical-Care-and-Genetic-Disorders.pdf

MGN webinars about NBS (free but must register): https://mediasite.mihealth.org/Mediasite/Channel/virtual_learning_collaborative

SERN video presentations https://southeastgenetics.org/education.php

SERN - webinar series on newborn screening considerations like emergency preparedness: https://www.newsteps.org/webinars-events/short-term-follow-webinar-emergency-preparedness-october-2018

Webinar series from PreventionGenetics: https://www.preventiongenetics.com/About/Resources/Webinars

Genetics in Special Education series (need account but I believe it is free): https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=3109

Webinars for clinicians (in genetics) in response to COVID19 (involves telegenetics): https://www.negenetics.org/content/covid-19-response

 

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A Reflection on NSGC 2020

In mid-November, our students virtually attended the 39^th Annual National Society of Genetic Counselors Conference. The NSGC conference “showcases advancements across the breadth of the genetic counseling profession to provide education and build community.” In this blog, our students reflect on their experience as first-time attendees and the switch from an in-person to virtual conference.

 

 

“One of the silver-linings of a virtual conference is the fact that all sessions were recorded! There were so many interesting talks, and I was able to attend all of the ones on my list by watching them live and recorded. I learned a lot of information about hot topics in genetic counseling and heard from a variety of speakers from different backgrounds. Although we couldn’t be in Nashville, it was still a conference to remember!”

-Megan Czekalski, Class of 2021

 

“I enjoyed that there was so much information concerning whole genome sequencing, which is a main focus of my thesis. The topic was mainly introduced by laboratories but was then discussed openly by genetic counselors, so it was interesting to hear both viewpoints. It also helps that everything was virtual, so I was able to download all of the associated materials and make notes on the chats.”

-Julia Gerow, Class of 2021

 

“I was very thankful to have a roommate who is also in the program because we tried to make the most of watching the conference sessions from our apartment by casting some of the sessions to our TV. Doing that, paired with breaking out our current knitting/crocheting projects, helped break up the monotony of looking at a computer all day. It was even better when we did a group zoom with other current students and program leadership for the main sessions - it made it feel a little more like we were watching the sessions in a group setting like we would have in Nashville, and we were able to have some great conversations!”

-Trinity Sprague, Class of 2021

 

“NSGC was super interesting, and the number of topics that I got to see in just a few short days was absolutely thrilling. I made sure to take down what notes I could in my handy dandy notebook for reference and review. However, I think what I enjoyed most about my first NSGC experience was the amount of networking that I got to do. It was so humbling to see the great work that GCs across the world are putting in to advance the field. I was inspired to reinvigorate my Twitter, got in touch with fellow GCs to gather research and resources to keep the learning going post-NSGC, and loved getting a chance to meet Pitt alumni for bingo and casual break-outs. In short, I didn’t think networking could be this fun. Thanks, NSGC!”

-Frank Swann, Class of 2022

 

“Although I was sad not to be in Nashville, I really enjoyed NSGC. The presentations were all super interesting and informative. I loved hearing Gunnar Esiason’s story because it was such a personal insight into the experiences and feelings shared by many of our patients. I also appreciated that I could watch some of the longer, pre-recorded sessions in shorter intervals, which wouldn’t have been possible in an in-person presentation.”

-Chelsey Walsh, Class of 2021

Welcome Jodie Vento, our new Program Director!

 

The University of Pittsburgh Genetic Counseling Program is very excited to announce Jodie Vento, MGC, LCGC, as our new Program Director! Jodie graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with Bachelor of Science degrees in Biological Sciences and Psychology. She then obtained a Masters in Genetic Counseling from the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. She began her career as a genetic counselor and neurogenetics program coordinator at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC, before joining Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in 2012. At UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Jodie managed the Center for Rare Disease Therapy, the Brain Care Institute and the Laboratory Utilization Management Program. In her role at Children’s Hospital, Jodie worked extensively with payers to develop shared processes and resources to increase the coverage and reimbursement of genetic testing.  Jodie is currently the Insurance Alignment Committee Chair for the Patient-Centered Laboratory Guidance Services (PLUGS) Group out of Seattle Children’s Hospital. Jodie is also an active member of NSGC and is currently on the Board of Directors. In her role at NSGC, she has served as the chair of the Access and Service Delivery committee and the co-chair of the Test Utilization Subcommittee within the Industry SIG. Jodie is also one the founders and Past President of the Pennsylvania Association of Genetic Counselors. Jodie is on the board of the Pennsylvania Rare Disease Advisory Council and she serves as the Genetics Faculty for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Related Disorders (LEND) Program at the University of Pittsburgh. We are all absolutely thrilled to learn from her!

 

Welcome and congrats Jodie! I’m excited that we have another great GC joining the leadership of our program. I’m looking forward to getting to know you and I’m sure the program is going to continue to thrive with you as program director!

Chelsey Walsh, Class of 2021

 

Welcome Jodie! I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you over the fall semester as a first-year student. I look forward to growing as a genetic counseling student under our program’s leadership and alongside my classmates. 

Lauren Garcia, Class of 2022

 

Welcome to the program, Jodie! I’m so excited to have another dedicated mentor in the field of genetic counseling. In just the few months that we’ve known you, I can already tell you’re going to be a gift to my own learning and that of my classmates. I’m looking forward to working with you more!

Bailey Sasseville, Class of 2022

 

I was thrilled to learn Jodie would be the new program director at Pitt! Robin will obviously be leaving behind a wonderful legacy and big shoes to fill, but I think Jodie is the perfect person to do just that. Having worked with Jodie before grad school, I was lucky enough to see her passion and dedication to the field, and I’m so excited for her to bring that to our program.

Julia Knapo, Class of 2022

 

Welcome to our program, Jodie! Even though I have only attended a few classes from you, I have always been very grateful and excited to hear about your experience and insights. Every time I or my classmates have questions, you empower us with such relatable, practical bits of knowledge. Not only that, you always strive to foster critical thinking pertaining to our inquiries, to think beyond what we learn in class to best serve our future patients. I cannot wait to see you implementing this critical thinking approach to different aspects of our program, as I look forward to getting to know you and learning from you much more in this journey!

Phuc Do, Class of 2022

 

So happy to welcome Jodie to the program! It's been a very interesting semester for all of us as a result of the pandemic, but your flexibility and optimism have helped keep our heads in the game in the midst of a whirlwind semester! Aside from your solid support, you bring a hefty share of expertise to the classroom and deliver your wisdom in digestible bites. You are a perfect fit alongside program leadership (as if you were right here all along) and we are so lucky to have you with us. Grateful you are joining and looking forward to learning more from and about you, Jodie!

Frank Swann, Class of 2022

 

Welcome Jodie! I am so excited you are joining our program. From our interactions in the fall semester, I feel confident that your positive energy and incredible insights will be beneficial to my class and all future classes under your leadership. I know you will continue to be a great mentor going forward; I am honored to be a part of your first class and can’t wait to get to know you more!

Maria Rhine, Class of 2022