Lisa Blaskowski

What do you do as a Senior Coordinator of Special Projects?

Lisa Blaskowski Anderson, M.S., is the current Senior Coordinator of Special Projects in the Office of the President at Northwestern University. Her key priorities include undergraduate mentoring in academia and research, fostering diversity in the academy, and celebrating secondary and post-secondary teaching and learning. In the Office of the President, Anderson directs the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) program, the Distinguished Secondary Teacher Award (DSTA) program, and co-sponsors the Northwestern Medical Scholars (NMS) program at the Feinberg School of Medicine. She also provides direct support for University commencement, honors ceremony, and the Presidential Directive on Intercollegiate Athletics, among other academic projects and initiatives. Her research interests include doctoral student mentorship, institutional governance and representation of minority groups, including women, in doctoral disciplines.

Why did you choose to major in Psychology and how has that affected your career thus far?

To be honest, I didn’t ‘choose’ psychology so much as the field chose me. I spent my first year at Michigan open to every possibility, electing interesting courses in a variety of departments including economics, mathematics, philosophy, psychology, Egyptology, and Slavic languages. In essence, I had no singular academic direction so I did what my parents suggested and decided to pursue a traditional major society would deem “economically viable”.

My early years at Michigan were hard. I applied to the Ross School of Business twice, and was rejected both times. Next, I tried becoming an Economics major, but flunked out of my first 300-level course. By that time, I was a junior and my academic advisor told me I needed to make a choice. At that meeting, I was forced to acknowledge that my current strategy for selecting a concentration was not working. So, I threw out my old model. I dissected my transcript, circling the classes I had found the most engaging. A pattern emerged – psychology and philosophy courses that addressed fundamental questions on how and why humans make decisions. At the advice of my advisor, I joined a neuroscience lab to make sure that research and academic writing was something I could see myself doing in the long-term. It was a natural fit. After two years of floundering, I had never been happier and my grades reflected my newfound enthusiasm for the subject.

Cognitive Science taught me how to think critically, how to take an argument and support it with evidence, and gave me the language and research tools to interact with the most pressing educational and societal issues of today. Most importantly, it taught me that failure is a part of the learning process and I have embraced that tenet wholly in my everyday work.

What was your career path like?

After graduation, I took on an internship position as an undergraduate Admissions Counselor at the University of Michigan, thinking it would be a natural extension of my interests in academic decision-making and professional mentoring. In my mind - who better to speak to incoming students about how to pick a major than someone who had gone through the arduous process herself? This position was my first exposure to Higher Education as a field and profession, and it was a “light bulb” moment for me.

A position that started as a placeholder ended up becoming my passion. I thought, “how and where can I make the biggest impact on college student development?” and I decided that I needed to be situated where I could impact educational policy and decision-making at the highest level.
After determining that I would need further education to advance my career, I went back to school to obtain my M.S. in Higher Education from Northwestern University. I didn’t originally think about becoming a program coordinator and project director in the President’s Office, but following a graduate assistantship experience in central administration my supervisor asked, “Do you want to be a part of our mission moving forward?” and the fit just made sense. My position allows me the autonomy to pursue my academic research and professional interests while supporting the development of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups at my institution.

What advice do you have both professionally and personally for students and recent alumni who are interested in pursuing a career similar to yours?

There is no right or obvious career pathway in higher education administration. There is no “Higher Education major” that will teach you how to be an effective researcher, mentor, or advocate. However, there are plenty of extracurricular programs available at the undergraduate level that can teach you these skills. For instance, consider volunteering as a peer mentor or undergraduate academic advisor, become an RA, or get involved in education research.

What has contributed most to your career success?

I say “Yes” to faculty, staff, and students whenever I can. I make myself available outside of office hours, travel to research conferences, and attend all manner of academic talks, performances, receptions, and networking events. I both mentor and participate in professional development programs, because I believe in holding the door open behind you. The longer you are in the profession, the more you come to realize just how small the academic community really is. Staying on top of current research and connecting with colleagues is vitally important to helping you stay attuned to the needs of your stakeholders. Moreover, it can provide you with unexpected opportunities.

Why do you love Michigan?

“You can’t make a small school large, but you can make a large school small.” It is an old adage, but one I still believe is true. I chose to attend Michigan because I didn’t know what I wanted to study, and I believed the University would give me the best education no matter what path I took. When I eventually landed on psychology, I found myself in one of the preeminent departments in the country. Michigan challenged me; it forced me to be an advocate for myself. However, it also gave me a strong support network.