Senior Director, Counseling & Career Development
Tell us the story of how you came to work at NYU Law? Were you always in your current position?
When I started at NYU Law in 2003, I was confident that I would be here for only two or three years – in fact, I’m pretty sure I said as much in my interview! I knew that I wanted to work with international students, and I wanted to get a graduate degree focused on international higher education, and saw my first position in the Office of Career Services (OCS) as a way to get that degree for free! Little did I know that I would still be here 20 years later, doing exactly what I had hoped I would do, which is advising students from around the world, and helping to create a campus where they feel included and valued.
I started as a placement assistant in the OCS and now I am a senior director. So I have done pretty much everything in this office, from answering the phones and scheduling appointments, to now overseeing major programs and student advising. When I completed my degree and began interviewing for roles at other universities, I also spoke with my supervisor and let her know what I was looking for. I was very fortunate that at that exact time, the assistant director for graduate careers left and her position was open. It was clearly meant to be, and I stayed.
Fun fact: There was one point in the mid-1990s where my brother, sister and I were all enrolled in NYU degree programs, my father worked as head of the NYU Telecommunications department, and my mother worked on a project housed at an NYU research center.
What’s a typical day for you like?
My typical day depends on what time of year it is. In the beginning of the fall and spring semester, I am meeting with between 6-8 students a day for one-on-one career advising and strategy sessions every day. Hopefully they’ve done their homework and have already revised their resume and other materials, so our meetings can really focus on developing a strategy for their job search. We talk about their dream jobs as well as “plan b” (and plan c in some cases).
Unlike the JD job search, the LLM job search is incredibly challenging and very individualized – every student comes from a different country, with different academic backgrounds, different work experience, different practice area interests and different career goals (and this includes Tax LLMs, who are also not as homogenous a group as the name of the program might imply!). On top of that, we run LLM Career Breakfasts and Lunches with alumni, larger career panels, networking sessions, and small workshops in our office year-round.
I try to stay in touch with LLM graduates in NY and beyond because they are the best resource for these programs. This fall, we put together a program of weekly careers lunches for the Tax LLM students that featured 12 different Tax LLM graduates, and in just a few weeks we’ll have a networking reception for international LLMs featuring more than 30 individual graduates. I also spend as much time as I can connecting with employers and reaching out to new employers who might be interested in hiring these talented law students.
What’s the most challenging thing about what you do? And what’s the most rewarding?
The most rewarding aspect of the job is getting to meet with so many students and hear about their experiences and their career goals. Our LLM students are SO determined, enthusiastic, and talented and they come to NYU with incredible ambition and passion. The most challenging thing about my job is that the US job market for foreign-trained LLMs in the United States can be more limited than those for US-trained students, and I often find myself sharing in a student’s frustration. But, the students persevere and many succeed. Those stories keep us going!
What do you wish you’d known about the Law School on your first day of working here?
We often don’t have opportunities to work outside of our own little bubbles as part of our day-to-day work. I feel fortunate that I have had the chance to work with and meet colleagues across different areas of the Law School in the last twenty years and hope that all new people have the opportunity to get to know colleagues outside of their own office. Even if we don’t work together, it is fun to participate in things like the NYU Walking Challenges or the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge as a School.
What is your favorite spot on campus, and why?
I know this is not the Law School, but love the 10th floor of the Kimmel Center – the views there are amazing. Prior to COVID, we ran the International Student Interview Program (ISIP) at the Kimmel Center every year and the event ended with a student reception on the 10th floor. I couldn’t resist taking a picture every single time.
Posted October 6, 2023