Hometown: Middlebury, VT
McIntire Role/Title: Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions and Recruiting
What is your background?
Since graduating from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire, I have enjoyed a wide array of professional experience. I started off working in the nonprofit sector and startup community in Boston before transitioning into culinary leadership back home in Vermont. Most recently, I worked at Middlebury College in dining and catering from 2020 to 2023 while simultaneously securing my master’s in World History with a minor in Military History from Norwich University.
What led you to the UVA McIntire Graduate Marketing & Admissions Team?
I was born in Richmond, VA, and grew up in a little town called Ashland, about an hour up 95, until midway through elementary school, so when my fiance, Robynn, and I started talking about our next steps, I knew I wanted to return to Virginia. As a longtime UVA sports fan (go Hoos!), I thought Charlottesville seemed like a great place to look. I was particularly interested in graduate marketing and admissions because of my overwhelmingly positive graduate experience at Norwich, during which the admissions team and faculty were very hands on. With their support, I was able to manage the unique challenges associated with being a full-time student and full-time supervisor during COVID, a feat that would have been all but impossible without the support of the team at Norwich.
What do you enjoy about working with graduate students?
As I mentioned above, I would not have been able to successfully obtain my graduate degree without the one-on-one mentorship of the Norwich team, so to be able to offer that same type of support to graduate students at McIntire is a huge honor for me. I am consistently amazed by what our graduate students can achieve, and it is my privilege to help them set and reach their goals and see them grow as they build their skills and transition into the professional world.
What’s your best piece of advice for prospective students?
My best piece of advice to prospective students is to tell your story. When applying for graduate programs, jobs, scholarships, or any other opportunity, understand that adjudicators are not just looking at who you are on paper, but who you are as a person and what you bring to the table. Don’t try to hit a laundry list of traits that you think they are looking for, but rather pick one or two things that are unique to you and tell them why those things will contribute to their program in a positive way. Don’t be afraid to take center stage and tell your unique story!
Tell us one fun fact about yourself!
One fun fact about myself is that I am a huge nerd. I love fantasy series, magic and myth, fantastic adventures, and sci-fi stories. From ComiCon to Renaissance fairs and everything in between, I’m always down for a three- to four-hour conversation about how Starfleet would fair against the Death Star, or the socioeconomic differences between Hyrule and Middle Earth.
What are you currently watching/reading/listening to?
I’m currently watching “What We Do in the Shadows” to emotionally recover in between episodes of “The Last of Us.” The list of books I have stacked up that I still need to get to is out of control, but currently I’m working on How to Sell a Haunted House, by Grady Hendrix, and Poor Things, by Alasdair Gray, in preparation for the movie. As for listening, lots of Jon Batiste’s “World Music Radio” and The Beths.
What are you looking forward to this year?
Spring in Virginia! After years of the tough transition from the bitter cold of March to mud season in April in the Northeast, I’m really looking forward to being back in Virginia when everything bursts to life in the spring!
Questions about our M.S. in Commerce and M.S. in Accounting Programs? Connect with Jim and our other UVA McIntire Graduate Marketing & Admissions team members by attending an upcoming admissions event or registering for an advising session.
