Graduate Division welcomes Assistant Director of Professional Development

The Graduate Division is excited to announce a new addition to the Graduate Student Resource Center! Hannah Lawrence, the new Assistant Director of Professional Development, recently moved to Santa Barbara from Boston after working in nonprofit program management ​for the ​last four years. Hannah is ​excited to ​join the GSRC team and work with UCSB's diverse graduate student population.

	HER STORY I grew up in Maine and ​attended the University of New Hampshire. During my undergraduate studies, I ​learned Arabic and spent time in Egypt researching civil society organizations during the Arab Spring. After receiving my BA in Political Science and Justice Studies, I attended New York University as a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellow and received my MA in Near Eastern Studies. I then moved to Boston and worked remotely as the Manager of Institutional Partnerships at Just Vision, a storytelling nonprofit ​focused on Israel and Palestine. Having the chance to work with college interns in that role was deeply rewarding and inspired me to seek out an opportunity where I could support students on their academic and professional paths full time.
	FUN FACTS When I'm not at the GSRC, you may find me attending a social justice event in town, sampling all of the local ice cream shops, practicing yoga, and exploring this beautiful state.
	HER ​ROLE AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR I am thrilled to be joining the impactful team at the Graduate Student Resource Center. I look forward to working with our graduate peer advisors and supporting events like Grad Slam and new student orientation, as well as collaborating with other offices to expand services for graduate students during their pivotal years at UCSB. I am here as a resource; please feel free to drop by the GSRC or contact me at hlawrence@ucsb.edu if I can offer my support in any way.