Admission Staff Profiles

Full-time admission staff members Amanda Jimenez, Will Wemer and Mary Kovaleski regularly post to the blog.

Admission Name: Amanda Jimenez
Position: Staff Assistant
Program: Creative Writing
Hometown: Newark, NJ
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Hood College | English/Women's Studies

Why did you choose Emerson College for Graduate School?
As a writer, I knew Boston was the place to be. It's a literary hub, it's a writer's mecca. And Emerson offered so many options: I could take publishing classes, a teaching class, and immerse myself completely in my writing. Emerson felt like home--they understood the artistic mind, and I knew I could just be myself here.

What is the favorite aspect of your program?
The Teaching Freshman Writing Class. You are taught to teach--this is essential for writers, not just to become a better write but as a career backup. Plus, you'll learn so much while you're at Emerson that you will have to share it with everyone!

What do you like best about living in Boston?
Seeing the period actors walk around the Common in their costumes, especially when they're holding Dunkin' Donuts cups.

What is the best piece of advice you would give someone considering or entering grad school?
For writers, work VERY hard on your writing samples.
For writers and non-writers, you will have to write somewhere on your application, so be sure your essays are as clean and precise as you want them to be--if you get good butterflies in your stomach reading it, then it's probably ready to submit.

Why should prospective graduate students visit Emerson?
You never know until you try!

What is the most surprising thing you've discovered about yourself in graduate school?
That I'm stronger than I thought--it's hard to sit in a class and be criticized, to read a piece of yourself in front of 12 pairs of eyes, and to submit work to a literary journal. But I've done it, and it's made me a stronger writer and a more resilient person. I've also learned that rejection letters are ok, even my accomplished professors have rejection stories--and they make great wallpaper! (the letters, not the professors)

How do you believe you Emerson College degree will affect your future?
Those three little letters behind my name, MFA, will get me places. And it will make me overall awesome-er.

Admission Name: William Wemer
Position: Staff Assistant
Program: Communication Management
Hometown: Shaker Heights, OH
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Ohio University | Magazine Journalism and Sociology

Why did you choose Emerson College for Graduate School?
I knew I wanted to study communication at the graduate level, but I wanted a program with a direct professional focus that would allow me to combine theory with practice. Emerson College not only offers that, they designed a program around that.

What is the favorite aspect of your program?
The faculty members in our department have their pulse on communication trends in the business sector, especially around project management, Web 2.0 communication, and crisis communication techniques. These skills with undoubtedly differentiate me, and other communication management students, within the job market.

What do you like best about living in Boston?
I am a massive sports fan! And what better place to be a sports fan than in Boston. Since moving to Boston in Fall 2009, I have been to games at Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, and TD Garden. I really hope a Boston team wins a championship while I am here, because the championship parade route drives right past Emerson.

What is the best piece of advice you would give someone considering or entering grad school?
As you enter graduate school, be sure to take up an activity or hobby outside of your schoolwork. It is important to remain well-rounded, even though school will take up a great deal of time. I, for example, took up swimming as exercise and now play on a club water polo team here in Boston.

Why should prospective graduate students visit Emerson?
Emerson's campus is unlike any other. Not only do we have state-of-the-art facilities, we have amazing student ambassadors who can give you honesty insight into the graduate programs here.

How do you believe you Emerson College degree will affect your future?
Because of my Emerson education, I not only have been given a great base of skills, but I have been able to network with students and faculty who will not only help me professionally, but will remain life long friends long after I have finished my degree.

Admission Name: Mary Kovaleski
Position: Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Enrollment/ Writing Instructor
Program: MFA Creative Writing (Poetry)
Hometown: Lititz, PA
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Mary Washington University | English, Secondary Ed

Why did you choose Emerson College for Graduate School?
As a person who likes to have as many options as possible, I found Emerson offered the most richly varied experience of all the schools I considered. From the historic New England writing tradition and community, to the access to the publishing world through two first-rate literary magazines and publishing classes, to the incredibly talented professors, to the opportunity to teach, I knew the MFA at Emerson would be able to offer me the most during my three-year program.

What is the favorite aspect of your program?
I have really enjoyed getting to know my professors and working diligently on my writing under their guidance and mentorship. That has been incredible and has helped me figure out where I fit in to the creative writing world.

What do you like best about living in Boston?
I've lived in Boston for seven years now, so it's pretty much home. I love the constant intellectual stimulation - for example, last month I could have seen Margaret Atwood, Ben Folds w/ the Boston Pops, Pablo Medina, Robert Pinsky, Ken Burns - not to mention the Boston book fest was in town. I couldn't possibly have attended everything; not enough hours in the day. Additionally, I'm kind of a nature person, so I like the close access of the beaches and parks just outside of the city. It's the best of both worlds here with a great city and beautiful surroundings.

What is the best piece of advice you would give someone considering or entering grad school?
For those considering an MFA, so many people will ask you "what are you going to do with that?" My advice to prospective MFA students is to do this because you want to spend three years immersed in an amazingly rich creative writing community and to learn how to make writing part of your life in whatever way you can. I have no stress about what I'm doing next. I feel like my options are endless.

Why should prospective graduate students visit Emerson?
It's important to get a feel for geography and place. Emerson is literally in the best location in one of the most beautiful cities in the country. It's exciting to visit the campus, and to get acquainted with a great city if you've never been here.

What is the most surprising thing you've discovered about yourself in graduate school?
I can teach college students. I can actually help them learn and improve their writing. Huge accomplishment!

How do you believe you Emerson College degree will affect your future?
This degree and experience has completely changed my life. Before I started my program here, I was working for a non-profit. My life was more corporate and my future was probably going to be structured that way, with a very nine-to-five lifestyle/ climb the corporate ladder approach. I have completely changed my career path with this degree - now my future will be in the arts/ higher education. I'll have more potential for a job that is creative and intellectually challenging. I'm stoked.