Office of Graduate Education Staffing Updates

Over the past few months, the Office of Graduate Education has experienced some staffing changes including promotions and new hires. Join us in welcoming our new staff and celebrating the advancement of our dedicated staff.

New Hires

Savvi Koy, Graduate Student Services Coordinator
Savvi joined the office in December, from Aspen University where she served as a doctoral academic advisor. In her free time, she teaches English and enjoys live music and skiing. She holds a BS in Business and Management from St. Cloud University and an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of St. Thomas.

Rhonda Fisher Eaker, Ph.D., Program Manager, DU/Iliff Joint Ph.D. in the Study of Religion
Dr. Eaker brings more than 20 years of educational administration experience to the DU community. Joining as program manager for the DU/Iliff Joint Ph.D. program in February, Dr. Eaker holds BA from Baylor University, MEd from the University of California Davis, and Ph.D. from the Colorado State University. As the director of the applied learning center at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, she was awarded the 2019 Effective Administrator Award.

Adaku Marizu, Graduate Funding Assistant
Adaku has been award a graduate teaching assistant with the OGE. As she purses a Tax LLM with the Strum College of Law, Adaku will support the business operations of the OGE. Adaku has a background in corporate and commercial law and is already a graduate of Sturm's Roche International Business Transactions (IBT) LLM program.

Promotions/Transitions

Danette Machisic, Assistant Director of Graduate Student Services
Serving as an integral part of the student services team for more than a year and a half, Danette was promoted from graduate student services coordinator to assistant director on Nov. 1, 2019. She has been a valuable resource for students, faculty, and staff during her time in the OGE. Danette has taken on leadership roles in graduation evaluations, dissertation/thesis processes, and student staff management.

Sarah Buenavidez, Associate Director of Academic Student Services
Sarah has been a fundamental of part the OGE for more than five years. In her tenure, she has served an admissions counselor, student services coordinator, and assistant director of graduate enrollment. In her most recent role as associate director of graduate enrollment, Sarah managed a team of four while overseeing Slate application management, the compliance of admissions policies, and coordinating central Admit Day activities. In her new role, Sarah will continue to oversee policy compliance, execute events such as the Research and Scholarship Symposium, and supervise a team.

Ellen Ahn, Associate Director of Graduate Enrollment
Ellen joined the OGE in 2017 as an admissions assistant and quickly proved herself as a leader. In her role as assistant director of graduate enrollment, Ellen oversaw the development of new student checklists in collaboration with MarComm and IT. Ellen is now responsible for overseeing Slate application management, coordinating campus-wide initiatives, managing admissions policies and compliance.

Temporary Hires

During this time of transition, our temporary staff has been essential to maintaining our day-to-day operations. Aubrey Shinofield serves as front desk support for the office, providing administrative assistance to the admissions team. Samantha Bradfield and Gracie Singer serve as graduate admission assistants, working with the admission team to process application material and manage Slate applications. Jenny Pither will join the office on March 16, 2020, to support the student services team processing graduation checks.