- Get Connected
-
- College Connections
-
- Meet Your Coordinators
- Request an Interview
- Annual Reports
- Get Involved
- Get Informed
- Meet the Moment
Our coordinators are eager to make real connections with fellow members of the LSA community. Their goal is to collect meaningful insights from alumni and parents, while providing updates on the dean’s priorities and the current state of the college. Each coordinator is a recent graduate, and their different backgrounds allow for a nice sampling of what LSA offers students today.
Xhulia Guri (she/her) graduated from LSA in May 2022 with an A.B. in International Studies and English. She was born and raised in Tirana, Albania and moved to Dearborn, Michigan, at the age of 11. During her time at LSA, Xhulia was fortunate enough to receive a number of scholarships, including the LSA Internship Scholarship, that allowed her to pursue a variety of interests including an internship abroad with the Municipality of Tirana. In this internship, she coordinated a special project regarding the social inclusion of the Roma minority. While at the University of Michigan, Xhulia worked as a research assistant for the Institute for Social Research and the U-M School of Public Health, where she first learned about development and opportunity-building for students. On campus, Xhulia was also actively involved with Michigan Foreign Policy Council and Xylem Magazine, where she developed meaningful relationships with students. During the summer of 2021, Xhulia interned for a nonprofit organization called THINK Albania where she created content and interviewed potential donors which sparked her interest in philanthropy. During her spare time, Xhulia enjoys trying new coffee recipes and visiting coffee shops in the Ann Arbor area. She is excited to connect with the LSA community and to visit a multitude of places!
Brooke Hudson (she/her) graduated from LSA in May 2023 with an A.B. in Psychology. She is a Detroit native and an alumna of University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe Woods. During her time at LSA, Brooke was an Alumni Association LEAD scholar and a recipient of the Mitchell and Shirley Raskin Scholarship. Brooke held a variety of positions at the university as a dental school barista, student coordinator at Oxford, program assistant in the Office of Housing and Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution, user experience design intern for LSA, and computer consultant for Information Technology Services. In all of her roles, Brooke was able to give back to the UM community while gaining valuable professional experience. She is also a member, resident, and officer in Ann Arbor’s Inter-Cooperative Council, where she manages finances for Sojourner Truth House and stays engaged with U-M students, parents, and alumni. In her spare time, Brooke loves to meet new people and try out new restaurants in downtown Ann Arbor.
Previous College Connections Coordinators
What have the former College Connections coordinators been up to since they "graduated" from the program?
Paige Apsey (2021-2023) remains committed to the brand and mission of U-M as a marketing coordinator at Michigan Creative.
MaryRose Clark (2021-2022) is part of the U-M Ross Major Giving team meeting alumni and donors in the western states.
Kai Mason (2019-2021) is using her bilingual skills as a project manager for at Fujitsu Research of America in Detroit.
Selena Joarder (2018-2020) works to integrate child welfare and behavioral health services as a cross-system trainer for the Allegheny County Department of Human Services.
Anna Thompson (2017-2020) is part of the LSA Major Giving team meeting alumni and donors in the southeastern states.
Joe Murray (2016-2018) is a part of the LSA Major Giving team meeting alumni and donors in Arizona, Southern California, and Utah.
Amanda Piazzon (Harvey) (2016-2018) is living in Cardiff, Wales, working as a Project Support Associate at Deloitte.
Samantha Stears (Lemmen) (2016-2017) is a part of the LSA Major Giving team meeting alumni and donors in the central states.
Avery Gleason (2015-2016) works for the Office of University Development in Ann Arbor as a business intelligence analyst.
Patrick Pjesky (2015-2016) works for Google as an Financial Analyst in London, UK.
Christina Pechette (2014-2016) lives in Minneapolis, MN and works as an associate director of clinical strategy at UnitedHealthcare.
Monica Phillipp (2014-2016) is the Associate Director of Development at North Star Reach.
Ellie Chessen (2012–2015) works for Deloitte as a manager of strategy & analytics in Washington, D.C.
Mark Chou (2013–2015) lives in San Francisco and works at Facebook as a project manager.
Kathleen Hinkley (2011–2014) is a Grateful Family Philanthropy Officer at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
Jenny Howard (2009–2012) is pursuing a Masters of Divinity degree at the University of Chicago Divinity School.
Elizabeth Blouin (Williams) (2009–2012) works for the Office of University Development as a director of major gifts in Washtenaw County and Southeast Michigan.
Tina Sula (2009–2012) is the Vice President of Major Gifts at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center. She also is a lecturer in U-M's Program in International and Comparative Studies.
