The Graduate School

Sanju Dhakal is a Master of Social Work student and a graduate assistant for the Social Innovation department. Sanju’s assistantship is primarily research focused, with the rest of her time dedicated to assisting Muhammad Hossain in curriculum and course design. She is currently involved in multiple research projects; one of which is titled, “Social Work Education and Practice in South Asia”. Sanju pursued her assistantship because she wanted to gain research experience which is especially important for her plan to earn a Ph.D. She wanted to explore topics associated with social work and social work students. Sanju has a passion for making education more inclusive and accessible. She believes that her graduate assistantship is setting her up for her Ph.D. and increasing her passion for furthering research in social work. 

Biology student, Leo Varitek, is a graduate assistant for the biology department where he is researching fish ecology in Lake Michigan drowned river mouth habitats. He and his team look at general fish in the Muskegon River, Muskegon Lake, and Lake Michigan with a focus on determining if the areas are healthy and if their collected data matches what they would expect. Leo finds that his graduate assistantship differs from his previous roles due to the leadership opportunities it provides. He currently leads two different crews and is responsible for creating and executing plans in addition to sharing the findings of his work accurately. Leo pursued his graduate assistantship because it would provide him with hands-on experience regarding the science and process involved in research. 

After moving here from Kenya, Nancy Odhiambo, Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics student, has taken full advantage of everything GVSU has to offer. Between her two graduate assistantships and rigorous academic program, she stays busy whilst working toward her future. Nancy’s decision in coming to Grand Valley was influenced by a multitude of factors. Most significantly, the program here serves as a specialization of her Business Information Technology degree, rather than the broader course of study she might have completed if she had accepted an offer from another university. She believes that her time spent at GVSU obtaining her M.S. in Data Science and Analytics will be vital in her future career, granting her the ability to improve her analytical capabilities and look at data in depth not only as numbers, words, or representations, but also the answer to health-related questions.

Sam Purifoy is a physician assistant studies student at Grand Valley and is a graduate assistant for the Physician Assistant Studies Northern Michigan Program in the Traverse City Campus. Sam’s current research assistance is focused on chronic disease management, specifically looking at Benzie and Kalkaska County. Her previous experience includes a position as a rural EMS, where she learned that people who reside in medical deserts often use emergency medical services. Her previous experience has allowed her to understand more gaps in healthcare. Sam knew she wanted to pursue this specific graduate assistantship because she was already acquainted with the staff through her program and was eager for the opportunity to work more closely with them. However, she felt that her small team in Traverse City has made it feel welcoming and much less intimidating. Sam also expressed her appreciation for Dr. Aurand’s emphasis on provider well-being, which is extremely important for current and future clinicians to prevent burnout.

Jason Vandenberghe is a Higher Education- Student Affairs Administration student and an advising graduate assistant for the Padnos College of Engineering department. Jason has appreciated working in a small team and enjoys hearing about different processes in the office. He explained how each person’s unique skills bring new ideas to the office. When pursuing this GA position, he was specifically looking forward to having student interaction and expanding on his previous advising experience in new student orientation. He enjoys helping students in a difficult program, such as engineering. Jason finds the collaboration aspect of his job to be most fulfilling. He emphasized the importance of having a supportive team and how grateful he is to have one.