A Message From Mary Rothemich, Program Officer

Hi everyone!
 
I’m so excited about this opportunity to join the wonderful UHP staff, and I can’t wait to begin working with you all.
 
I completed my B.A. at American University, studying Communications.  My greatest Comm-related interests are the history of journalism and children’s advertising, and while I hope to never stop learning about either one, shortly after graduating I realized higher education was my true passion.  I have since worked at the Catholic University’s School of Architecture and Planning as an academic advisor, and am excited to continue that work with all of you!
 
To help you get to know me a little bit better, I want to leave you with some fun facts about me (although maybe I should let other people tell me they’re fun).
 

1. I was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island.  I have borderline fanatic 401 Pride, as well as the New-England’s-little-sibling mindset common among Rhode Islanders.  It’s not uncommon for conversations with me to include sentences like “Oh, you’re from Maine/Vermont/New Hampshire? I’m from Rhode Island!”  I’ve been to Vermont and New Hampshire twice and have never stepped foot in Maine, but that does nothing to dampen my enthusiasm.
2. Growing up, I was an extremely picky eater.  I tried my first strawberry at age 13 and ate mashed potatoes for the first time when I was 18.  I’ve come a long way, and cooking is now one of my favorite hobbies.  I love trying new recipes, learning about obscure ingredients, exploring flavor profiles, and all things food.
3. I have strong opinions about grammar.  I love the Oxford comma more than some members of my family.
4. I don’t drink coffee.  This is something that other people seem to find interesting/controversial.
5. I’m a big multitasker.  Whenever I watch TV, I always have to be doing something with my hands.  I do puzzles, crosswords, sudoku, cross stitch, knitting, needlepoint, embroidery, and more.  This makes me feel better about marathoning series for hours at a time and sometimes can create something wonderful!  This is one of the project’s I completed as a wedding gift for my best friend.

 
I’m looking forward to meeting you all.  Please don’t hesitate to be in touch, even if you just want to say hi!  Happy Thanksgiving!