In this next addition of Faces of GPS, we’re delighted to introduce Alina Hicks, Executive and Financial Assistant for the Rabb School of Continuing Studies. Alina has been with GPS for over five years thus far, and on this year’s National Administrative Professionals Day, we’re excited to honor her for all of her hard work. Read below to learn more about Alina and her time at GPS!

Get to know Alina!

Q: What are some fun facts about you?

Outside of work, my favorite hobbies are birdwatching and photography, which I like to engage in while hiking on the weekends at one of the many lovely local nature trails. I also spend a lot of my free time with my sweet 2-year-old Havanese dog, Yuuki.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your background?

I was born and raised in Wellesley, MA, and graduated from UMass Boston with a BA in Psychology. After college I worked for the better part of a decade as a financial transaction coordinator at a major real estate firm, but I applied to work at Brandeis University when I decided to pivot to a career in higher education administration. I’ve now been at Brandeis for over five years and am very proud to be a part of the excellent team that supports the Rabb School for Continuing Studies.

Q: What’s your favorite memory from your time at GPS ?

The moment that left a most lasting impression on me while working with GPS (so far!) was attending the first Rabb School diploma ceremony that I helped coordinate with the former Director of Student Services. After months of planning and organizing, it was so incredibly rewarding to see the fruits of our efforts culminate in an event brimming with such positive energy. Commencement is a joyous day in which we celebrate the hard work and success of our graduates with them and their loved ones, and to see everyone’s smiles as they beamed with pride in their accomplishments makes all the effort worthwhile!

Faces of GPS is an occasional series that profiles Brandeis University Graduate Professional Studies students, faculty and staff. Read more Faces of GPS stories.

In this next addition of Faces of GPS, we’re thrilled to introduce Abigail Kim, who will be taking on the role of Student Advisor. Read below to learn more about Abigail and her position at GPS!

Get to know Abigail!

Q: What are some fun facts about you?

I absolutely love to cook. It’s my favorite creative outlet. I love looking at a bunch of recipes and then winging it from there- it usually turns out pretty good. Fitness is also a huge part of my life. In addition to my role as a Student Advisor at GPS, I also teach pilates classes part time.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your background?

I grew up in a small town in Connecticut (Somers) so I knew that for my undergrad experience, I wanted to try a bigger city out. I completed my Bachelor’s degree at Suffolk University in Boston, MA and studied Psychology and International Affairs. After graduating, I started working in college admissions at Wentworth Institute of Technology as well as Northeastern University. While working full time at Northeastern, I enrolled in a Master’s degree program through their College of Professional Studies, a fully remote, asynchronous degree program very similar to our GPS. My time in my graduate studies was awesome. I loved the flexibility that the program provided and the experience working with students and faculty based all over the United States and even all over the world.

Q: What inspired you to work at GPS?

In my previous job, part of my role entailed serving as a student advisor at a private High School. This part soon became my favorite aspect of my role. I loved connecting with my students and helping them to succeed in their studies. When I decided to move on from my previous role, I knew that I wanted to focus on positions that would help me find that advisor title again.

Q: What are the responsibilities of your role at GPS?

All things related to supporting GPS students and keeping them on track in their programs! I’ll be here to assist you with registering for courses, suggestions for upcoming courses to take, navigating relationships with your instructors, and making sure you’re on track with and aware of all registration deadlines and start dates. I’m also here to serve as your first point of contact, any question you have or anytime you don’t know who to go to, you can come to me and I’ll help connect you with the right person.

Q: What excites you the most about your new position at GPS? What are you most looking forward to?

Having experienced what it was like to complete my Master’s degree in an asynchronous, online program, this role at GPS seemed like the perfect fit for me. Knowing the challenges and rewards of juggling a full time job, a personal life, and a degree program is something that I look forward to supporting my students with. I’m looking forward to building relationships with the students that I advise and helping them with anything they need to help make their experience in their program a success.

To connect with Abigail or any other member of the GPS advising team, please visit our Advising page.

Faces of GPS is an occasional series that profiles Brandeis University Graduate Professional Studies students, faculty and staff. Read more Faces of GPS stories.