Gwen Ifill School Alumnae/i
In the Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences, we cultivate a diverse and talented generation of trailblazers who are poised to become leaders in their professions and in their communities.
Student-Alumnae/i Interviews
From Sports to Healthcare: Storytelling by a Simmons Alumna
Eri O’Brien ’24 double majored in communications on the integrated media track and studio art with a concentration in photography. While attending Simmons, O’Brien was a photography teaching assistant for four years and started as a production assistant at Harvard Athletics during her junior year. Currently, O’Brien continues her role at Harvard and is a marketing and community outreach assistant at Charles Street Family Chiropractic, Inc.
Alumna Author Talks Writing Process and Guiding Students
Jo Knowles ’92, ’95MA graduated from Simmons with a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in writing and returned to Simmons for her master’s degree in children’s literature. While teaching at a low-residency MFA program, Knowles continues to write young adult fiction.
Transferable Skills in Language and Higher Education
Tina Finnegan ’13 graduated from Simmons University with dual bachelor’s degrees in English literature and Spanish. While at Simmons, she was a study skills advisor at the Center for Academic Achievement, as well as a Writing Center tutor. She is currently the Director of Employer Relations at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Arts in the Classroom and the World
Lydia Peabody ’10, who majored in arts administration and art history with a minor in marketing, has worked across the country in roles at the Art Institute of Chicago, as an Associate Professor at Montserrat College of Art, and as Curator-at-Large at the Peabody Essex Museum. For the last three years, Peabody has been with The Wolf Kahn Foundation as a board member. She currently chairs the Foundation’s grants committee.
Educators Support Students Through Simmons Master’s Program
Linda Lawton ’23MS was in the insurance industry for 17 years before returning to graduate school to study education. While working as a teacher at the New England Center for Children, Lawton attended Simmons University to pursue her master's degree in education. For the last three years, Lawton has been teaching at the Fannie E. Proctor Elementary School in Northborough, Massachusetts. There, she runs a sub-separate classroom for third through fifth-grade students.
Learning Through an Interdisciplinary Lens
Chloe Crelia ’22 majored in Spanish, served on the editorial board of Sidelines, Simmons’ literary and arts magazine, and was also a founding member of the Transfer Student Organization. Since September 2025, Crelia has been an Educational Technologist at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
Theatrical Influences on Children’s Literature
Rodney Fierce ’12MS graduated from Simmons University with a master’s degree in children’s literature and has dual undergraduate degrees from Princeton University in English literature and theater and dance. Fierce also earned his PhD in English language and literature from the University of Southern Mississippi. Currently, Fierce is a humanities instructor at Sonoma Academy in California.
Coast to Coast Connections with a Simmons Alumna
Caitlin Tramel ’99 graduated from Simmons with dual degrees in sociology and elementary education. She has worked in university administration at several schools, including Barnard College and Harvard Medical School. Since February 2025, Tramel has served as Assistant Vice President of Individual Giving at Santa Clara University, where she is responsible for a team of nearly 40 frontline fundraisers.
Gwen Ifill School Alums in the News
Community Immersion and Everyday Leadership
Africana studies and international relations major Alexandra “Ale” Huamán ’26 reflects on four years at Simmons: getting involved in the Boston community, being a Barbara Lee Fellow, and studying abroad to name a few of the activities she packed in.
Finding Inspiration in a Women-Centered Environment
Victoria Savoie ’26, a political science and communications major, reflects on her participation in the 2025 spring NYC Agency trip through the Department of Communications, the articles she wrote for the student-run news organization, The Simmons Voice, and her selection for the Barbara Lee Fellowship program.
Alumna Author Talks Writing Process and Guiding Students
Jo Knowles ’92, ’95MA graduated from Simmons with a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in writing and returned to Simmons for her master’s degree in children’s literature. While teaching at a low-residency MFA program, Knowles continues to write young adult fiction.
Digitizing Local Archives and Reminiscing with Alumnae/i
Jenn Leishman ’26 reflects on choosing their major, an internship in the West End Museum in Boston, favorite courses, and how Simmons helped prepare them for a career as a library professional.
Six Students Selected for the 2026 Senior Scholar Award
Six graduating seniors have been selected for the prestigious Senior Scholar Award at Simmons University. Sponsored by the Provost’s Office and the Office of Research and Fellowships, the Senior Scholar Award recognizes outstanding scholarly research and creative works across a variety of disciplinary fields.
Finding Inspiration in Taiwan’s Night Markets
Children’s Literature and Writing for Children graduate Emily Sun Li ’24MA/MFA reflects on her road to becoming a published author and how Simmons supported her career path.
Alumna Embraces Critical Approaches to Children’s Literature
Since completing her master of arts in children’s literature at Simmons, Amber Weinstock ’24MA has begun her doctoral studies at the University of Connecticut. We caught up with Weinstock, winner of the 2024 Graduate Student Essay Award, to ask how Simmons prepared her for her current studies.
The Transformative Power of Children’s Literature
Cassie Sheets-Kavanagh ’18MA, who earned her master of arts in children’s literature at Simmons, is pursuing a PhD in curriculum, instruction, and teacher education at Michigan State University.
Ways to Get Involved as a Gwen Ifill School Alum
Share Your News
We are proud of the accomplishments of our alumni and want to promote your work. Have you received a promotion, been hired for a new position, engaged in meaningful volunteer work, published an article or book chapter, or received an award? Please let us know! Please submit your news and the Simmons news team will be in touch.
Donate
Consider donating to a special scholarship or initiative. Your support will resonate with future Gwen Ifill School students.
Contact Us
The Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences
The Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences cultivates trailblazers and leaders. Here, you'll study the modes of expression through which we record and interpret the human experience.