Lizzy Stoyle
Senior Academic Advisor, Social and Decision Sciences
- Porter Hall 208G
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Bio
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Office Location: Porter Hall 208G
To schedule a meeting: https://go.oncehub.com/LizzyStoyle
Lizzy is the advisor for the primary and additional majors in Behavioral Economics and primary majors in Decision Science.
How long have you been at CMU and how did you get here?
I came to CMU in 2017 from the University of Pittsburgh where I worked as a Graduate Student Advisor for doctoral students in History and Sociology.
What is something you love about Dietrich College and/or your department?
The supportive, non-competitive atmosphere is something entirely unique to Dietrich College. The interdisciplinary degrees within Dietrich (like SDS) are a testament of that collaboration. SDS faculty come from many different disciplines (psychology, economics, statistics, policy analysis, philosophy, just to name a few!) and they work closely with the academic advisors to ensure that students are able apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world scenarios.
What was your undergraduate major? How did you end up deciding on it?
I was a dual History-Anthropology major, with a European Studies Certificate and Italian Studies minor. I honestly did not plan to pursue any of these subjects when I went to college. I thought I would be a Biology major, but quickly realized that mathematics and science were not my interest nor my strong suit. On a whim I applied for a scholarship to study in Italy the summer of my first-year and, to my surprise, was awarded the funds. I spent three months in Siracusa, Sicily- in which time, I discovered my deep passion for human societies, cultures, and languages. The rest is history! (Please excuse the pun :))
When was a time when you struggled or encountered a setback? How did you respond?
My first semester in college I earned the first "C" in my life. Initially, I was disappointed and confused, as I had fallen short of my own expectations. Upon reflection, I realized that I had actually learned more in that course than I had in any others, as I had gone to office hours, took practice exams, and participated in extra credit opportunities. I really EARNED that "C" even if I wanted an "A". That "C" was one of the best things to happen in my college career, because I realized that I needed to improve my study skills and be more proactive in my studies. In the end, I was able to learn from this experience to graduate Magna Cum Laude.
What is a fun or surprising fact about yourself?
My partner and I are realllllllly into Escape Rooms. We have completed over 100 around the country including Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, New York, D.C., and nearly all rooms in the Pittsburgh region. We've become so advanced that we have been asked to beta test a few rooms, and even won a $250 cash prize for the fastest time of the month out of nearly 75 teams.
I have two adorable dogs named Sophie and Wylie. I lovingly refer to them as my "co-advisors" as they tend to pop into my advising meetings from time to time. Trust me- they are great listeners!