Ashley Christopherson

Academic Advisor, Academic Advisory Center

Bio

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Office Location: Baker Hall 160
To schedule a meeting: https://go.oncehub.com/Christopherson 

Ashley advises first and second year undeclared students.

How long have you been at CMU and how did you get here?

I started at CMU in Spring 2021, though Pittsburgh became my home in 2019. I’m originally from Reno, Nevada.

What is something you love about your job and/or what is one of your favorite memories of being an advisor?

I love that my job as an advisor is all about building relationships! It is important to me that my students know that I am in their corner through the good times and the tough times, too.

What was your undergraduate major? How did you end up deciding on it?

My undergraduate majors were Psychology and Religious Studies. I honestly loved my faculty so much in these fields that I couldn't help but take every class I could with them!

When was a time when you struggled or encountered a setback? How did you respond?

When I was in college, I became a primary caretaker for a sick family member. I struggled to keep up with my school work and my faculty noticed. The best thing I did in this situation was be honest about what was going on. I didn't expect understanding, but that's what I received. I gained a ton of support and, later, when I was applying to grad school, the faculty writing my letters of recommendation really knew me, and the context surrounding my grades. They helped me land a full-ride at the University of Michigan!

What is a fun or surprising fact about yourself?

I was the first person in my family to go to college and, after graduating, I worked in a rural high school to assist other first gen students in applying to college and for financial aid.