Lindsay Griffiths *24 (PhD, English)

"This fall I will be starting as Assistant Professor of English at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. I’ll be on the faculty there teaching Black literature, continuing my research, serving on various committees, and advising students. 

My multidisciplinary training will be most applicable in the classroom. As a trained literary scholar, I look forward to guiding my students through literary analysis, close reading, and thinking critically not only about the texts but how they inform and are informed by the world around us. It’s important to me that my understand that the literature we read reverberates far beyond the page.

When I initially entered the program, my goals were simply to complete a successful dissertation and get a tenure track job as a professor. Participating in professional development really added nuance to my goals. Through my time connected with GradFUTURES (and especially James Van Wyck) as a University Administrative Fellow (UAF) and a Social Impact Fellow, I gained the liberating realization that I was not only equipped to pursue a wider variety of careers besides the professoriate but could potentially prefer a different career path. This relieved some of the immense pressure of going on the academic job market in a time when such jobs are scarce.  My UAF taught me that practical problem solving energizes me. It also showed me that my project development and management skills are applicable far beyond my dissertation project. I took this knowledge into the Social Impact Fellowship with Blue Meridian Partners, a philanthropic organization where I was able to problem solve and project manage toward their goal of making a positive impact in communities in the United States. This reminded me that, no matter what I do, it needs to involve helping and supporting people. As a new faculty member at Lafayette, I feel empowered to carry out a dynamic career, developing programming and events to support my students, and keeping alive my love for helping others and problem solving. I also feel confident knowing that, while I am incredibly excited to begin this new chapter, I am not necessarily bound to any one career but can build a diverse career with evolving goals. 

I would not have made it to where I am today without mentorship. I feel strongly that, while the learning in graduate school is so important, it’s the relationships you build that make the real difference. I have learned and grown so much because of mentors and advisors who offered me their time, wisdom, information, network, and support. Through GradFUTURES, I interfaced most with Assistant Dean James Van Wyck. Before, during, and long after my two fellowships, James went above and beyond in his mentorship. Every meeting we had, he was sure to connect me to a new resource, introduce me to a new person, and help point me in the right direction (often through offering me an interesting opportunity). I am so grateful to him for shepherding me through, for those long chats, and for believing in my capabilities. Similarly, my external mentor through my Social Impact Fellowship —Matthew Krumholtz— was so generous with his time, so kind, and so encouraging through the entire process. It was through James that I met Mathew and had the privilege of learning what the social sector is about. Matthew’s supervisory support made me experience at Blue Meridian a great one."

Ipsita Day *24 (PhD, Anthropology)

"I will be an Assistant Professor in the Comparative History of Ideas Department at the University of Washington Seattle. This is a tenure-track appointment in a unique interdisciplinary department, where I will have the opportunity to research, write, and teach across disciplinary boundaries. 

I will be teaching theory, methods, and area studies courses related to my disciplinary expertise in Environmental Anthropology, Pacific Island Studies, Indigenous Studies, and Feminist Science and Technology Studies.

Upon entering graduate school, I was singularly focused on developing study, research, and writing skills in the social sciences/humanities. I previously worked and studied in the life sciences (Microbiology) and did not have experience with social science/humanities reading loads, pedagogy, and classroom discussion. I was much more comfortable with problem sets, multiple choice exams, lab meetings, and journal clubs! So, my initial goals were to immerse myself fully in the academic culture of social science disciplines. 

Participation in the GradFUTURES program challenged me to see that graduate school is about much more than doing well in the classroom, passing generals, and earning a PhD. Graduate school training happens outside the institution as well - especially in terms of networking with people who utilize their academic skills outside of academia. 

Because of my involvement with GradFUTURES, and especially under the tutelage of Dean James Van Wyck, I expanded the opportunities and fellowships I participated in at Princeton to include interdisciplinary and industry facing activities. I am very grateful to the GradFUTURES team for showing me that rigorous work and efficient progress towards Ph.D. Degree completion can happen through involvement with professional development opportunities."

Genevieve Allotey-Pappoe *24 (PhD, Music)

"I will be joining the department of music at Brown University as Assistant Professor of music in the musicology and ethnomusicology section of the department. In this role, I will collaborate with the Black Music Lab hosted by the Brown Arts Institute.

As a field of study, ethnomusicology is interdisciplinary and draws from various disciplines such as musicology, anthropology, sociology etc. I have engaged with some of the theories and methods of different disciplines. I also had the opportunity to take a digital humanities course at University of Pennsylvania through a grant awarded by the Center for Digital Humanities at Princeton. My plan is to continue using these skills and training as a researcher, writer, and educator.

When I started at Princeton, my goal was to become a better researcher and writer. Throughout my time at Princeton, I had the opportunity to explore research roles within and beyond academia. The GradFUTURES program opened up possibilities for students who are interested in public scholarship, positions beyond academia, and those who are interested in bridging the gap between academia and industry.

Mentorship has been very instrumental in my professional development. My mentors have invested their time and effort into helping me shape my career goals. Throughout my time at Princeton, I have had three main mentors: My advisor (through my department), my GradFutures mentor (assistant dean for professional development at Princeton) and my peer mentor (a friend). These three have contributed immensely to my professional development journey through their advice, guidance, and support."