Our staff spotlight this week is Neeraja Aravamudan. Neeraja is the Associate Director for Academic Partnerships at the Ginsberg Center.
What’s your educational background?
I did my BA in Psychology & Sociology at Purdue University, and my MA/PhD in Sociology at Northwestern University. Before coming to the Ginsberg Center, I worked at the Searle Center for Academic Excellence at Northwestern University (like U-M’s CRLT). Over my 10 years at Searle, I focused on graduate student development--helping prepare new TAs and first-time course instructors for teaching.
What’s your role at Ginsberg?
I oversee our work with academic partners, including faculty, academic program staff and graduate students. I consult with faculty individually and in workshops on their community-engaged teaching and research, develop evidence-based materials to support faculty doing community engagement, serve on the editorial team for the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, published by the Ginsberg Center, and am part of the leadership team for the Center. My role at Ginsberg lets me combine my love of learning and teaching with my interest in social justice and community engagement. I learn daily from my terrific Ginsberg colleagues who model what values-based, community-driven work looks like.
What’s your favorite part of your work?
I love connecting with and meeting people all over campus and supporting the work they do. I love supporting someone who is struggling with a problem in their course or research and working together to address it by providing resources and support to hopefully make their work easier and their partnerships stronger. My work is very variable so I never have a ‘typical’ week, which keeps things interesting. I enjoy the combination of strategic planning, program implementation, data management, marketing & communication, and personal connection in my job.
What are some social justice issues you’re most passionate about?
I have learned so much from my time at Ginsberg, and one issue I care a lot about is voter rights: from ending gerrymandering to reducing voter suppression. People’s voices deserve to be heard and counted to create positive change in this country, rather than ideas and legislation being shaped mainly by politicians’ interests. I also care about immigrant rights. The foundation of these rights have been challenged and dismantled in the last few years. Fear of ICE raids and reduced pathways to citizenship have harmed not only immigrants and refugees but our communities at large.
How have you been surviving quarantine?
I have spent a lot of time with my spouse, three children, and my mother, who has been staying with us during quarantine. We have taken lots of walks, played many games of badminton when the weather was nice, and as it’s gotten colder, watched lots of movies (Hamilton and Big Hero 6, for example) and TV shows (like my mom’s favorite Jeopardy or Good Place which my big kids love) and played lots of board games (Telestrations is a family favorite!). While socially distancing is really hard, the chance to have an impromptu lightsaber battle in the basement during a break or catching up on our days over lunch has been precious time I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. There is joy to be found when I pause to stop and look.
Other hobbies?
I enjoy DIY projects (I have built a picnic table, lofts and jewelry cabinet in the last few years), crafting (knitting, sewing), and reading (mostly fiction).