Graduate Students

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Katie Kiacz

Katie graduated from EMU in 2011 with her Master’s in Sociology. Since graduating, Katie has taught sociology and rock climbing at Mott Community College before accepting a position as an Academic Success Specialist. She has worked as an Title IX advocate and investigator, been involved in a number of basic resource and student success initiatives and is the Mott Feminist League student club advisor mentoring young women in personal and professional growth. Katie’s passions include the empowerment and advancement of girls and women, resource access for immigrant and asylum-seeking peoples, economic and health equity and social justice. She is the recipient of Mott’s Campus and Community Impact Award, two-time recipient of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges Under 40 Leadership Award, and most recently was honored with the Michigan ACE Distinguished Women in Higher Education Leadership Award for her work with the Feminist League, Title IX, and international and immigrant students. She is returning for her graduate certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, with hopes of designing programs to make college more inclusive and accessible. In her free time she enjoys being with her family, reading, exercising, cooking, and traveling.

Tara McCutchen

Tara is a first year graduate student and one of the 2020-21 GAs. She is interested in working with youth of color and effective mentoring. She received her bachelor’s degree from EMU in psychology with a minor in social work. She likes to spend her free time painting, drawing, listening to music and watching TV.

Gabrielle Kisor

Gabrielle Kisor graduated in 2019 from Eastern Michigan University with my Bachelor's in Social Work, and am returning for my Master’s in Social Work with a focus on Mental Health and Substance Abuse and a graduate certificate in Women's and Gender Studies. Since graduating with my bachelors I have worked at Washtenaw County Children’s Services in the Juvenile Detention and Substance Abuse center. I absolutely love the youth I work with, and hope to continue working with this specific community after completing my Master’s degree. I spend a lot of time with my two kitties (Boots and Mickey), cuddled up watching Greys Anatomy. I love to paint, and have recently been teaching myself to play piano.

Hannah Bollin

Hannah is working towards her Master's in Women's and Gender Studies at Eastern Michigan University with a focus on body positivity and gender expression in pop culture. Hannah works two part time jobs as GA in the WGST Department at EMU and as a retail worker at a local Halloween store. She received her Bachelor's of English - Language with a minor in Women's and Gender Studies from Concord University in Ahtens, West Virginia. Hannah has just moved to the Ypsilanti area with her partner Erica and their two cats Baby and Penny. In her free time Hannah enjoys binge-watching true crime television shows, indulging in occasional internet cringe via YouTube, and spend countless hours (and dollars) on her extensive cosmetics collection.

Iman AbuAitah

Iman AbuAitah is an international student from Gaza, Palestine. She received a double BA in English Literary Studies and Biology at Columbia College of South Carolina in 2015. AbuAitah's research interests include women's rights in areas of war and conflict (specifically in Palestine) and the role that patriarchal and religious structures play in the oppression of women in the Middle East. AbuAitah is also interested in studying LGBTQ rights in the Arab World. AbuAitah is currently working as a part-time graduate research assistant at the Women's and Gender Studies Department and a part-time graduate research assistant at the Philosophy Department.

Elena Lamping

Elena is a master's student at Eastern Michigan University studying gender identity and expression, romantic and sexual relationships, queer theory, and the psychology of sexuality. They received their BA from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience in 2016 and hope to continue their education in psychology and empirical research in the future. Outside of academia, Elena works part-time for the student housing cooperatives in Ann Arbor, plays roller derby under the pseudonym "Nutritional Yeet," and is the doting parent of two eccentric cats.

Zhanar Tuleutayeva

Zhanar is pursuing her Master's degree in Women's and Gender Studies with a focus on health education and domestic violence. She studied Economics during her undergraduate studies at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan. She considers herself as a Global Citizen and loves to be in multicultural environment. That's why she was an exchange student in Traverse City, Michigan during her senior year in high school and participated in study abroad program in Prague, Czech Republic. That's how Zhanar has friends in at least 20 countries of the world. Also, she is an alumna of Debate Community of Astana, so she likes to discuss international relations, current political/economical issues in the world and engage in constructive debates.

Katrina Solomon

Katrina Solomon received a BS and MS in Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising at Eastern Michigan University. Solomon is interested in researching topics related to the process of healing from domestic abuse, the experience of non-binary persons in a gendered society, and queer inclusion in polyamory. Solomon is currently working full time as a line-haul coordinator.

Barbara Draheim

Barbara Draheim is working on her Master's in Women and Gender Studies with a concentration in Social Work. She is a Graduate Assistant advising undergraduates and a Clinic Coordinator for the Family Assessment Clinic in Ann Arbor. She is working with friends and mentors to create a safe space for women in the arts to come and create together in the Ypsilanti Area. Barbara graduated from the Eastern Michigan University Undergraduate program in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication and Theatre Arts with a minor in Psychology. She is returning to school after 5 years living in Los Angeles, CA working with Volunteers of American as a case manager assisting homeless veterans with housing services and other resources. Barbara returned to Michigan to be closer to family and pursue this next stage of her life along with her husband, 1-year old child, and three-legged dog.