Women’s History Month is all about spotlighting the strong women who drive success and inspire change, sometimes from behind the scenes. This March, who better to interview than a woman who constantly works to make the Emerson experience as seamless as possible for our graduate students? For over ten years, Shaylin Hogan has worked alongside Emerson students as the Senior Program Manager of the Office of Graduate Studies. Whether she is organizing events, giving advice, or fixing someone’s shoe minutes before their graduation ceremony, Shaylin embodies creativity and leadership in her job every day. Read on to hear more about her story and the women who have inspired her along the way.
Role & Impact
Tell us a little about yourself. How long have you been working at Emerson and what drew you to working here?
“I started at Emerson in 2013. I grew up locally, and I knew about Emerson’s reputation as a home for creative people, communication, and learning. Some of the smartest and most talented people I know have connections to Emerson!
“After graduate school, I had a brief career in academic publishing because I thought it would marry my love of learning and words. Instead, I learned there is more business than creativity in that niche of the industry, and I recognized it was not a good fit. (To make matters worse, I worked in Statistics and Advanced Math books, which limited some of my opportunities.) When I saw that Emerson had an opening for an Administrative Assistant position in Emerson’s Department of Writing, Literature, and Publishing (WLP), I jumped at the chance. I learned after I applied that the department chair was one of my former professors!
“In WLP, I grew my role, and was promoted to Program Coordinator after Nicole Martignetti transitioned to the Marlboro Institute for Liberal Arts & Interdisciplinary Studies. In those first few years, I developed a love and interest in graduate programming and supported the development and launch of Emerson’s first fully online graduate program, the Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing MFA.
“Based on that experience, I moved to Grad Studies so I could focus my attention on graduate programs full time. I have to say: the reputation of the Emerson community drew me in, but it’s the people within the community who’ve kept me here. Every day I am amazed I get to spend my time with so many passionate, intelligent, and kind people – staff, faculty, students, and alumni – all of whom have some intangible quality that I have only ever seen defined as ‘Emersonian.’”
Your role as Senior Program Manager for Graduate and Professional Studies involves a lot of behind-the-scenes work that directly impacts students. What are some aspects of your job that students might not realize you’re responsible for?
“My department, the Office of Graduate Studies, handles just about everything related to graduate students. That includes the less exciting stuff, like knowing how many credits are in every program, tracking student progress through programs, curriculum changes; more exciting stuff, like Orientation and Graduate Hooding Ceremonies; and the very practical things like, ‘Do graduate students know the College updated the WiFi?’
“My favorite part of my job though is when I get to play the fixer. I joke about it, but it’s actually real: if there’s an uncommon situation for a student, or ‘something weird’ in their record, it usually lands on my plate. This includes, but is not limited to, finding student projects from before I was born (thank you, archivists, for helping), re-gluing a student’s high heel before they crossed the stage at the Graduate Hooding Ceremony, and finding a Film & Media Art student a ‘haunted looking barn.’ There’s never a dull moment, and I am always willing to help!”
You’re constantly working to create a supportive environment for graduate students. What initiatives or projects have been the most rewarding for you?
“I love Commencement and our Graduate Hooding Ceremonies. LOVE them. Nothing feels better than applauding our students as they receive formal recognition for their hard work. Every year I cry actual human tears because I know that each name called is not simply because of fulfilled requirements. Each name is a beautiful fusion of hard work, learned skills, critical thoughts, creative genius, excitement, overcoming defeats, missed dinners with friends and family, plane rides, broken down MBTA cars, passion, frustration, joy, and the promise of future success. It’s the best.”
Women’s History Month & Leadership
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, who is a woman—historical or contemporary—who inspires you, and why?
“I count myself lucky when it comes to strong, inspiring women in my life. Both of my grandmothers raised my parents’ generation and mine to acknowledge women can do whatever they put their minds to.
“My Nana wanted to travel the world and have wealth and fame, so she joined the Navy and became a nurse before changing careers to teach and raise her children. Years after her retirement, she ran into a former student who recognized her, and later reflected on the fact that in the end, she had seen the world, could afford all she ever needed without worry, and couldn’t even walk through the mall without being recognized!
“My Gramma was a union worker with the USPS and negotiated fair contracts and wages in a time when women were more widely acknowledged for their hairstyles. They really set the tone for me as I set out on my path.
“At this moment in time, my office is entirely staffed by women, and every day I see a new, admirable thing from Jan Roberts-Breslin, Maria Figueroa, or Kim Costigan. I have learned so much from them, and I appreciate their contributions to Emerson that so many people don’t ever get to see.”
Have you faced any unique challenges as a woman in higher education administration? If so, how have you worked through them?
“Sexism in higher education is a very real thing, but it’s unfortunately not unique to higher ed. Sexism is often subtle, making it harder to address, and even more challenging, it’s so ingrained in society that people often don’t realize they’re guilty of it. Sometimes it’s more obvious.
“For me, it was hard to let go of having an adult man pet my head like a dog, or another one explain to me how stairs work (yes, both of those things happened). I have learned to react and speak up to shut that stuff down immediately. I am in constant awe of the women I work with for the way they move through the world. They don’t let anything hold them back, and they don’t hesitate to call out issues as they see them.”
Advice
You interact with so many graduate students at Emerson. What’s one piece of advice you often find yourself giving them?
“I always tell the students the same things, and I offer these points freely: 1. Don’t panic. 2. Read the instructions. 3. Stay hydrated. 4. Trust your gut. You will literally never do better for yourself than following those steps, and they are true for every aspect of grad school, but also in general.”
What is one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you wish you had known earlier?
“State your needs. I suffered needlessly when I could have simply picked up the phone to ask the right person a question, or told my boss, ‘I need one more day to finish this project.’ There’s nothing wrong with having needs, and people can’t read your mind to support your success if you don’t state what your needs are clearly.”
Fun & Personal Insight
If you weren’t in higher education administration, what career do you think you’d be in?
“In a perfect world, I would be independently wealthy, restoring antique homes for low-income families during the day, and writing my little essays I never share with anyone by night. There’s also probably a version of me in the multiverse who’s a lawyer.”
When you’re not working, what’s something you love to do to unwind and recharge?
“I love spending time with my family. We’re on a long-term quest to visit every Major League Baseball stadium together (we are four deep so far), and we love trying new restaurants together. We also like to hang out at home with our pets and imagine what they’re thinking. I love reading novels and memoirs and spending time gardening, too.”
Thank you to Shaylin for a glance into her busy life as a Senior Program Manager, constantly offering guidance and support for all of Emerson’s graduate students. Whether it’s taking a moment to acknowledge how far you’ve come or the bright future ahead of you, this Women’s History Month, take time to celebrate your journey and all those who have paved the way before us.
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