Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service as a Graduate Program Coordinator
Melissa Cohen, Ecology & Evolution
Melissa Cohen has been the Graduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Ecology & Evolution for three years. Prior to her current position, she worked for ten years coordinating exhibitions at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
What excites you about your work?
I love working with students. Our graduate students are doing something that is incredibly challenging. I like being a source of support and helping to make things a little bit easier for them.
What do you enjoy most about working with graduate students?
I am fortunate, E&E has a great group of graduate students. They are super nice, really engaged and work tremendously hard. It's fulfilling to see how students thrive in our program. They are young and energetic and have great ideas; it's thrilling to see what they accomplish during their time in E&E and after graduating!
What advice would you offer graduate students new to the university?
Take advantage of the intellectual environment that surrounds you. Attend talks; attend department get-togethers; talk to all the faculty in your department (not just your advisor). Also, New York City is really close – take advantage of that fact!
