Title: Assistant Director, L&S Office of Undergraduate Advising
About Chistina
Joined the L&S Office of Undergraduate Advising in:
October 2014
Education:
B.A. Psychology, UCLA
M.A. Education, UC Berkeley
Ed.D. Organization & Leadership, University of San Francisco
What is your approach to advising?
Student-centered. I am here for you! I know I’ve done my job well when I’ve answered your questions and helped you figure out your next steps for moving toward your goals. College is a time when students are figuring out who they are and where they want to go, and I’m here to be a guide. I encourage students to try out a variety of classes and get involved with clubs and student organizations in order to figure out what they really enjoy – or to discover first-hand that they don’t want to do something too.
How did you get here?
During my master’s program at UC Berkeley, I interned in the Athletic Study Center. I knew then that I wanted to work as an academic adviser with undergraduate students. I have done some exploring along the way in my career before arriving in L&S, and I encourage students to do the same! It’s the only way that I’ve figured out what I’ve liked and didn’t like in different industries and jobs. As an adviser, I draw on the experience I’ve gained working in journalism, business development, and media relations.
What's your favorite part of your job?
Learning about each student’s story. Each person is unique, and I’m always interested in finding out who you are, how you got here, and where you’re hoping to go in the future!
What advice do you have for L&S students in general?
First, give yourself time to adjust to being a college student. It’s a big transition your first year here (and everyone is going through it, even if they don’t talk about it). I wish someone had told me about taking a balanced schedule when I started at UCLA. Instead, I decided since I’d done so well in high school that taking Calculus for Engineers and Econ 2 would be a manageable first quarter schedule. It wasn’t. And I was lucky to pass both classes. I hope to help L&S students avoid the academic mistakes that I made as a college student! Second, get involved outside of the classroom! In my sophomore year in college, I joined the UCLA Daily Bruin and wrote for the sports section for 3 years covering men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, and track & field. I had played sports my whole life up until college and had always loved writing, so this allowed me to combine two of my passions and led me to my first career out of college -- working as a sports reporter and then in media relations for the Cal Athletic Department. I made life-long friends working for the Daily Bruin, and the professional connections I made with LA media members helped me land an internship and later my first job out of college.
About me:
I am committed to issues of diversity, inclusion, and social justice. My Ed,D. coursework and research focused on issues of access and equity in higher education for traditionally underrepresented students. I focused my dissertation research on the experience of first-generation college students who transferred from a California community college to UC Berkeley.
