Please join us in welcoming Erin Swift to the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries as Events Manager, Outreach & Engagement – University Libraries and Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). Prior to joining the Libraries, Erin was a Program Manager, Global Open Enrollment Programs in the Tepper School of Business.
We asked Erin, who uses she/her pronouns, a few questions about herself and her plans for her new role.
What are your goals for this year as our new Events Manager, Outreach and Engagement?
As someone new to UEIS but acquainted with CMU, my overarching goal is to familiarize myself with the former as I leverage my existing knowledge of the latter. Throughout this process, I’m excited to learn more about the University Libraries and ETC happenings, including what already exists, what’s on the wishlist, and how I can help.
This will also be a year of learning by doing and shaping this new role within the larger UEIS landscape along the way. I’m looking forward to partnering with colleagues to establish an annual events portfolio and to build out processes that minimize pain points, maximize the impact of our work, and best support the students that we serve.
How has your prior experience prepared you for this role at the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries?
As a former teacher and student advisor, most of my prior experience has included planning events in educational settings for students, their parents, and/or the larger community.
Before joining UEIS, I worked in Tepper Executive Education as a program manager and coordinated on-site learning modules, off-site receptions, and graduation ceremonies. I also worked in CMU’s Office of International Education as an Assistant Director of Study Abroad, where I partnered with campus colleagues on student outreach efforts and organized events like the campus-wide Study Abroad Fair. But it was actually as a Fulbright Fellow in Brazil that I first worked on a university campus and realized how much I enjoyed working with college-age student populations. In that role, I developed and promoted a wide range of student programming, including English language workshops, cooking classes, and conversation groups. And as an undergrad, I had a job I loved at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, where I got my first glimpse at libraries as a center for community building and sharing resources.
I’m excited to see my career path come full circle in this role, combining my past interests and current skill sets in a library context.
What projects are you excited to tackle in your first few months?
The coming academic year is just around the corner, and I’m excited to jump headfirst into orientation activities, fall events, and spring semester planning. I know these first months will be especially helpful as I get the lay of the [UEIS] land, build connections with colleagues, and establish a strong understanding of the Libraries and ETC event cycles and opportunities.
In particular, I’m looking forward to working with ETC colleagues to plan its famous Fall Festival. I’m also excited to step into my role as an External Relations liaison to the Libraries’ Student Advisory Council and to collaborate with colleagues on upcoming fall events such as Banned Books Week.
What do you like to do outside of work?
On weekends, I enjoy spending time at the ceramics studio and (slowly) improving my skills and intuition with a notoriously challenging craft. Aside from the satisfaction that comes from creating something tangible from start to finish, I appreciate how much my ceramics practice has demanded patience with my progress and acceptance of imperfection.
My favorite activities around Pittsburgh are decidedly townie: public pool hopping, walks in Frick with my dog, frequenting local ice cream spots (Dari Delite and Page’s are my favorites), getting overwhelmed by crowds at the farmers market, going to shows at Mr. Smalls, and talking a lot about how cool the Lenten fish fry scene is but rarely attending. My partner and I have also taken on the brave task of ranking local eateries’ chicken wings according to a very scientific scoring matrix, so please feel free to share any suggestions of places that we should add to our list.
Finally, I enjoy visiting out-of-town friends and family to hike up mountains, jump in lakes, eat good food, and simply sit around.