As we continue our A Day with a GA series, we caught up with Kit Kelly, a second year in the concurrent Master of Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Master of Public Administration(MPA) program. Kit is a graduate assistant for the MPA Community Assistance Program (CAP) we enjoyed learning more about what she does in a day on the job!
Name: Kit Kelly
Hometown: Dolores, CO
Graduate Program/Year: I’m in my second year of the concurrent Master of Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Master of Public Administration program.
Previous Education (Undergrad and/or Grad): I have a B.A in Anthropology with a concentration in Archaeology from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.
Office or Department you work for: I am a GA for the MPA Community Assistance Program (CAP).
What are your assistantship responsibilities? As a CAP GA, I engage in capacity building for community-based organizations and local governments through project-based work. I might conduct demographic research, locate historical context, and assemble reports on a typical day. Past projects include the Town of Summerton Comprehensive Plan, the City of Charleston Neighborhood Services Program Evaluation, and the Dorchester County Public Safety Plan.
What do you like most about your position? One aspect of my position that I enjoy is working collaboratively with my coworkers. Our work and roles in CAP are dynamic, and our projects require us to build trusting and cooperative relationships. These connections add to the satisfaction of our work and allow us to find support from each other in our public service work.
What question do you get asked most, and what’s your typical answer? I am often asked if I can make a map to go along with a report or presentation, and my answer is almost always “yes, I love making maps!”.
What’s your favorite location on campus and why? My favorite location on campus is SSMB; the lobby and the courtyard are nice, quiet places to study.
What personal and/or professional accomplishment are you most proud of? One accomplishment I am most proud of is my undergraduate capstone project. The project focused on the process of determining cultural affiliation as part of repatriating human remains under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. The project was one of the most emotionally difficult projects I’ve done, but in the end, I was proud of the work and the discussions it created in my undergraduate department.
Name a creative work (book, movie, performance, etc.) you enjoyed recently and why. I recently rewatched Fleabag. The show is a comedy/drama series on Amazon created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge about a woman navigating various relationships in her life. The show’s portrayal of family and love is very moving as the main character grows throughout the two seasons.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Charleston? I love going to different food spots with friends.
Favorite Restaurant in Charleston. My favorite restaurant is babas on cannon; the very cold iced coffee with honey and peanut milk and the avocado toast are my go-to.
Describe your perfect day. My perfect day would start with sleeping in, cooking something from scratch, and getting a beer with friends.
