A love of research may have brought Cammi Valdez PhD ’14 to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, but her life as a graduate student shaped her future career quite unexpectedly.
At GSAS, she had become an active advocate on behalf of her fellow students, volunteering for the Graduate Student Council and other committees. The experiences were so fulfilling, she decided to continue that work as a higher education administrator. As assistant director of undergraduate research at Harvard College, she now mentors young scholars hoping to pursue graduate studies.
“I’m happy to be a resource on the other side as an alumna,” says Valdez, who also volunteers on the GSAS Alumni Council and makes an annual gift to the Graduate School Fund. “I give because I know that graduate school is such a transformative time for students.”
She believes support like hers ensures that stipends, staffing, and professional development are available for future students.
“There’s so much programming that goes into your time at GSAS,” she says. “It can’t be done without our donors.”
Valdez feels deeply connected to the GSAS community. She regularly attends GSAS Alumni Day, not only to see friends, but also to meet other alumni from across classes. She says, “These are people you can’t meet anywhere else.”