Faculty of the Week: Alia Haskins

OMA Intern Alia Haskins poses for a photo outside EPAC. Austin Desisto / The Exonian

By TEDDY CAPOZZI, ETHAN DING, ERIN HAN, and LILY RAMPE

Although this is her first term at the Academy, Administrative Intern of Multicultural Affairs Alia Haskins has already made her presence known to the Exeter community. Whether discussing matters over the Harkness table in the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), chatting with students in the Dunbar Hall common room, or on the paths listening to her favorite music with earphones in, she is always a source of compassion and warmth. In the time that she has been Exeter’s newest OMA faculty member, Haskins has established herself as a unique voice and comforting presence that has become appreciated by many students and faculty on campus.

Before coming to Exeter, Haskins completed her undergraduate studies at Bowdoin College and graduate studies at Columbia University. “At university I worked on my master’s degree, which was in Latin American and Caribbean studies. I knew that I wanted to work at a school after I finished, and I also knew that I wanted to work in multicultural affairs, Diversity Equity Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ), or in some other similar capacity,” Haskins said. “When I looked into Exeter and saw that they were hiring interns, I did some research and saw that they had similar values as I did and that it was a fit for the kind of environment I was looking for. I knew that it was an incredible institution beforehand, but after I visited the school for my interview and I saw that everyone was so friendly, I knew that this was exactly where I wanted to be.”

“This is my first full time job, and I honestly could not have asked for a better one,” Haskins continued. “So far, I have to say it’s been a very nice transition from working through my graduate school work to now being able to implement a lot of the things I had been learning about and researching here at Exeter.”

Despite being new to the Academy, Haskins has already become an important part of various communities across campus. As an OMA intern, her days are mostly spent on the first floor of Jeremiah Smith. “Each day is different, and varies a lot. My job definitely isn’t boring, and there’s always something interesting and new to do, which I am very grateful for,” Haskins said. “Usually I’ll be focusing on emails and I’ll help plan or do some social media posts if there’s a big OMA event coming up. I’ll generally be out at the Harkness table at OMA, and I’m always open to chat with any students that come in.”

Students and faculty alike commented on the bright presence Haskins brings into any room she enters. Senior and OMA proctor Rowan Flanagan shared, “Ms. Haskins is such a kind, reliable, and funny person. She really listens and takes into account others’ voices.” He added that “her bright personality and humor makes work less stressful and fun, and they constantly make an effort to be open and make connections with students and faculty alike.”

“I think a lot of people will really appreciate the positive energy she brings to the community,” senior Stacy Chen, another member of the OMA team, said. “OMA is a special place for many Exonians and it’s always extra comforting to know there’s faculty who are there to help you out or simply just check-in and talk. I can tell she cares a lot about the students.”

Flanagan commented that their conversations with Haskins often reached beyond work in the OMA office: “I love how at home our conversations at the OMA table make me feel. Whether we are talking about DMV culture, halloween costumes, or our favorite sauces, we can connect over the simplest topics and bond.”

Lower Anushka Noori, who started as an OMA proctor this fall, also spoke about how Haskins’ personality brightens up the OMA environment. “[Ms. Haskins’] kind and fun-loving personality adds to OMA’s inviting atmosphere,” she said. “I’m grateful to her for the support that she has given me throughout this term and look forward to having many more conversations with her around OMA’s table this year.”

In addition to her important role in the OMA office, Haskins also is a member of the dorm faculty in Dunbar Hall. She does dorm duty there on some nights and has brought her kindness and approachability to the Dunbar dorm community as well.

“She’s a really cool person, and conversations are always interesting,” senior and Dunbar proctor Defne Koyluoglu said. “She’s really close with a lot of the students, and I think the fact that she’s on the younger side [of] faculty members helps with that. She just finished getting her master’s, so she totally understands the struggles of being a student. Being so familiar with the student perspective, she’s really easy to talk to about classes, tests, and other challenges that students face. One aspect of that is how familiar she is with the college process. It’s been helpful, especially as a senior going through it right now, talking about her undergrad and grad school experience. She brings a lot of insight from the other side of what a lot of us are getting into right now.”

“In addition to being approachable, she’s also great at keeping conversation going,” Koyluoglu continued. “I’ll go into the common from time to time with my friends, and she’ll make room for people to add to the conversation. Having Ms. Haskins in the discussion always results in a more engaging conversation.”

Day by day, Haskins has become more integrated with Exeter. She has been working to, and plans to become a more active member in the school community. Each step of the way, she’ll work to bring her values to all the spaces she joins, seeking to make them improved and more equitable. “I’m working on the Martin Luther King Jr. committee this year, which has been really exciting. Once a week I’ll attend the planning meetings and it’s been a great experience to be a part of it and help out. I’ve visited classes and so I’m getting a sense of what Exeter life is like, especially for the students,” she said.

“Genuine, easy to talk to, honest, and funny,” were the words International Student Coordinator Jennifer Smith used to describe Haskins. She shared, “Ms. Haskins offers to help with anything — she has even jumped in on things that were last minute — something that may seem like a small task but were crucial to the big picture. She has such a positive attitude and is a true team player.”