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Alyssa Thompson from ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵCareer Advancement

What do you do for fun?

Loving on my puppy, taking city walks and exploring all the neighborhoods in Chicago, listening to music, podcasts, and reading voraciously -- I am a pop culture junkie! Traveling, learning languages and exploring other cultures. I love trivia, watching and performing live music and theater, and most of all...KARAOKE! I also live for being the "fun aunt" to my nieces and nephew.

What is your favorite spot on campus or in your neighborhood?

I love Loyola Beach in my neighborhood of Rogers Park -- especially the wall art that gets re-created each year. My neighborhood has such a comfortable, artsy vibe.

On a typical day before work, how do you start your routine?

I generally flop out of bed like a zombie after being woken up by my dog, make sure she is fed, and take a super-hot shower. I love driving along Sheridan Road to the office, which gives me the best view of the lake possible. I give myself a little pep talk, listen to a comedic podcast while driving, and make sure I don't do anything major until I have had my diet soda (no coffee for me!).

 What is your favorite part of your job?

I love connecting with people across campus and throughout my employer and alumni networks. I especially enjoy the times I get to connect with students during our annual career treks at NCA. I love the camaraderie we share in our office, and the chance to really help people connect with each other. It makes me happy to know that I am helping students explore future careers. The variety of people across all demographics that I get to engage with on a daily basis is what keeps me excited and engaged.

What is your favorite part of your job?

We are able to help students define & establish home. It is such a privilege to welcome students and include them i the community.

What is your favorite spot on campus or in your neighborhood?

I love the Evanston Farmer's Market!

What's the best vacation you ever took?

My extended family took a cruise together in 2019 in honor of my brother who had recently passed. It was our first time taking this type of trip, the first cruise for many of us, and the first time abroad for many of us. I absolutely loved sharing this experience with my family! It brought us much closer and started a trend of spending more time together as a whole family.

This month we shine the spotlight on Ann Motogawa, from Graduation & Senior Year Experiences.

What do you do for fun?

Amy Huntington from Student Affairs Assessment & Planning

What is your favorite part of your job?
Working with my colleagues. I get to work with folks across the division so my day-to-day can include tons of faces with LOTS of different projects. Getting to spend time with folks I genuinely like is such a gift.

What is your favorite spot on campus or in your neighborhood?
600 Haven, for sure. It gives haunted rectory vibes.
 
What do you do for fun?
I'm always learning a new instrument. Also always trying new recipes.
 
What's the best vacation you ever took?
My wife and I went camping across the pacific northwest. Camping in the Hoh rainforest absolutely blew my mind. Visiting Seattle after spending a week in old growth forests was a rude awakening. 10/10 would rainforest again.

On a typical day before work, how do you start your routine?
In this order: Cycle on my knock-off peloton, walk the dog around the neighborhood, then play around with music until the "get ready for work" alarm goes off.
 
Who’s your biggest supporter/cheerleader, or who do you go to for advice?
My wife- she's the smartest, most emotionally intelligent person I know.

Hayley Kretchmer from Campus Life

On a typical day before work, how do you start your routine?

I like to get to work early. I am lucky to have an office with a window that overlooks the lake, so I enjoy rolling up my shades and starting slow in the morning with my tea, sifting through emails, preparing for my student workers, and planning out my tasks for the day. I love the quiet moments before the SOURCE is filled with students!

What is your favorite spot on campus or in your neighborhood?

I love the lakefill. Growing up, my dad and I would bike along the path together. It is a place on campus that has breathtaking views and brings back very positive memories!

What's the best vacation you ever took?

Gosh, I love to travel! I've stepped foot in 29 countries so far and will hit #30 this year. I lived on a ship for 3.5 months through a study abroad program called Semester at Sea - while I wouldn't necessarily call that voyage a vacation, I learned more than a textbook could ever teach me and made lifelong friends along the journey. I also lived in Sydney, Australia for 6 months in 2018 and loved every minute of it!

 Who’s your biggest supporter/cheerleader, or who do you go to for advice?

Dr. Brent Turner has been a very impactful mentor for me since the day I met him at NU back in 2019. He is someone who I can always count on for sage advice and he is one of the people who inspired me to pursue a career in student affairs!

 What is your favorite part of your job?

I love my job and it's such an honor to be part of the Campus Life team. I have so many favorite parts, but one aspect that is particularly meaningful to me is supervising students and having 1:1 meetings with them. I have formed really positive, trusting relationships with the SOA student workers and I am always inspired by their creativity, expertise, and care. They make my day that much brighter!

Do you have any personal or professional goals you would like to share?

Growing up, I played an instrument called the hammered dulcimer (yep, I know you'll need to Google that). Since it was too large to bring to college, I stopped playing. I would really like to get back into it after all this time!

Associate Director, Operations & Programs - Norris University Center

What is your favorite part of your job?
The sheer variety of opportunities I've been exposed to, and the relationships those opportunities have helped me build across campus. I never fully know what a day at work will look like, and I love it!

What is your favorite spot on campus or in your neighborhood?
The Lakefill in spring.

What do you do for fun?
I like to woodwork when I have time and a project to build. Beyond that, I play guitar and sing in a band called The Long Goodbye, which was born over two decades ago in Milwaukee, WI. We recently released a new EP titled You'll Be Fine, which is streaming on all major platforms. We're booking our summer schedule right now. Find out more at 

What's the best vacation you ever took?
About 10 years ago, I was able to spend two weeks in South Africa & Zambia. It was an incredible trip for many reasons.

On a typical day before work, how do you start your routine?
Usually by dropping a kid off at an early AM cello practice.

Director of Employer Recruitment and Engagement - ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵCareer Advancement

What is your favorite part of your job?
Gaining insights into some of the top brands and businesses in the world. It's fascinating. I love meeting with employers and learning about their personal stories as well as happenings at their companies. I also really enjoyed chaperoning a group of students to NYC for the Finance and Investment Banking Career Trek. Learning about the different industries, career paths, and lifestyles (related to careers) never gets old to me.

What is your favorite spot on campus or in your neighborhood?
Kellogg. It's a beautiful building :)

What do you do for fun?
I have the most fun when I'm spending time with family. I'm always up for a family activity. I have small children, so museums, a beach day, the park, indoor playgrounds, are always fun. I also enjoy reading and practicing yoga.

What's the best vacation you ever took?
My honeymoon to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Our resort was beautiful, the weather was perfect, the people were welcoming, and the food was fantastic. 10/10!

On a typical day before work, how do you start your routine?
Ha! Getting my kids ready. I typically don't allocate a lot of time in the mornings for much else. But I'm a big breakfast person, so I have to eat breakfast every morning. Even if it's just a cup of yogurt or a piece of fruit, I must eat something. I rarely skip this meal. However, I usually eat when I arrive at work.

Who’s your biggest supporter/cheerleader, or who do you go to for advice?
My hubby :)

Do you have any personal or professional goals you would like to share?
I'm fairly new to NU, so one of my personal goals this year has been to attend an event on-campus at least once per month, that is not hosted by my office. This has been a very intentional way for me to meet people and learn more about the university.

Program Assistant - Multicultural Student Affairs

What do you do for fun?

I am a cat mom, artist, and activist outside of my role. My interests/hobbies pertain to running, body modifications, as well as consuming media (i.e., films, video games, social media). You can catch me on my computer or reading a book.

What is your favorite spot on campus or in your neighborhood?

My favorite spot on campus is the Multicultural Center and the Woman's Center!

What's the best vacation you ever took?

The best vacation I have ever taken was spending a month in Mexico (Salvatierra) with my grandparents! Feel free to ask me for a picture of my grandma's garden.

Do you have any personal or professional goals you would like to share?

In regards to my personal and professional goals, I would love to continue my studies in higher education in Psychology. I am passionate about offering a therapeutic, affirming (LGBTQ+, immigrant, pro-human rights) space, especially to adolescents.

Operations manager - Norris University Center 

What is your favorite spot on campus or in your neighborhood?

At the Center Desk in Norris! There's always so much going on and I enjoy having a chance to check in with the students to see how things are going in their lives.

What do you do for fun?

In my free time, I enjoy watching Oscar-nominated movies, snowboarding in Tahoe, and trying fries from every restaurant I go to.

What's the best vacation you ever took?

The best vacation I've ever been on was this past summer when I visited Banff National Park in Canada! I submitted a mountain and was able to see the entire valley. The lakes there are an unreal shade of blue, it's easily the most beautiful place I've ever been to!

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is working with our student employees! I love helping them solve problems big and small in Norris, encouraging them to practice self-care, and planning training opportunities and socials for them.