Jessica Lutz

Academic Advisor, Information Systems Program

Bio

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Office Location: Hamburg Hall 3047
To schedule a meeting: https://go.oncehub.com/JessicaLutz

Jessica advises current Information Systems students.

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

I joined CMU in June 2022. Before coming to CMU, I worked at the University of Pittsburgh for six years. In my last role, I worked as an academic advisor for Pitt’s TRIO Student Support Services program.

Please share with us one of your favorite quotations and why you love it.

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” -Vincent Van Gogh.

I’m always learning new things, changing, and growing, but I get very whimsical and dreamy thinking about all of the things that might be possible. Like time travel. I’m really holding out for us to figure that one out.

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

I studied advertising in college with a concentration in copywriting. I chose my major by printing out a list of all available majors and going through the list item by item until I found one I could do. I cannot not recommend this method enough! I didn’t talk to anyone, meet with my advisor, talk to any instructors, or do any research before declaring my major. I ended up not liking it very much and to this day I regret not taking more psychology classes in college.

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

When I got to college I struggled with anxiety like I never had before. I wouldn’t raise my hand in class, I wasn’t very social, and I stayed in my dorm with my roommate most of the time. I had a really hard time acclimating to life at college, and going to therapy in my second year helped me immensely. By my junior year I was studying abroad in London, even taking a solo trip to Paris! And I met some of my very best friends to this day.

What activities/hobbies do you like to do outside of work and/or what do you like to do to de-stress or unwind after a busy day?

In my spare time I enjoy listening to all kinds of music, tending to my dozens of houseplants, writing creative nonfiction, reading, and knitting sweaters that don’t fit very well. I taught myself to knit over the pandemic and it has become one of my absolute favorite things to do. There is something so incredibly relaxing about the repetitive nature of knitting once you get the hang of it.