Andrea Cruz is the Program Assistant for WCAS Graduate Studies
How long have you been at the university and what’s your current role?
As of this past May, I’ve now been at the university for 1 full year! My current role is Program Assistant for WCAS Graduate Studies.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
My favorite part of the job is helping out fellow colleagues in the departments and programs with questions around graduate student policy, student funding, position/appointment forms 🤢, or anything else! I just love to help out wherever I can.
What’s your secret talent?
Kinda boring but my secret talent is typing really fast… My usual words per minute is at least 100.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I recently got into making my own espresso and milk-based drinks at home, so I love trying new beans from local roasters and dialing them in to get a balanced brew. You can also find me listening to a lot of personal finance podcasts or smothering my cat in one-sided affection.
What is your perfect idea of a relaxing day?
Making my morning coffee and journaling, biking to a workout class, then I’ll bike home, reassured by the knowledge that the rest of the day is for me to lay out on the couch, read, lounge around with my cat, and play movies I’ve already seen before, which then lulls me into a deep, afternoon nap.
For people looking to try out something new (food, TV shows, places, etc.), what would you recommend?
If you’ve never been to Taste of Peru in Rogers Park, I highly recommend! Everything is delicious but my go-to is the Aji de Gallina (shredded chicken in a walnut cream sauce over rice) with the arroz con leche (warm, obviously, no matter the weather) for dessert.
My P.A.F. savior! Thanks for all you do, Andrea. It has been so wonderful getting to know and work with you 🙂