Gwen Ifill School Alumnae/i

In the Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences, we cultivate a diverse and talented generation of trailblazers who are poised to become leaders in their professions and in their communities. 

Student-Alumnae/i Interviews

Three shelves full of books in the Simmons University library

Alumna Educator on Her Simmons Experience

Kelly Cotton ’22 brought her passion for reading and writing into teaching.


Simmons Cupola in the Fall

Simmons Alumna on Finding Her Voice, Creating Opportunity

Louise Michelle Vital ’00 is a senior lecturer in the Higher Education Administration program at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Vital’s involvement on campus ultimately led her to her first job right out of college.


The entry door to Dix Hall on the Simmons University residence campus.

Simmons Communications Alumna Reflects on College Experience

Carmen Báez ’79, HD’04 is a retired advertising and marketing professional who focuses her time in PRxPR, a private disaster aid fund in Puerto Rico. She serves on the Conservation Trust board in Puerto Rico, and was a member of Simmons’ Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2014.


Gwen Ifill School Alums in the News

An illustration of Gregory Maguire holding a quill pen with images from Wicked in the background

Gregory Maguire ’78MA Defying Gravity

Gregory Maguire '78MA, best-selling author of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, reflects on his time as one of the first graduates of the Master of Arts in Children’s Literature program at Simmons, now celebrating its 50th anniversary.


Rayna Hill '22MA/MPP, photograph by Kelly Davidson

Lived Experience: An Engine of Advocacy

A motivated advocate for social justice, Rayna Hill ’22MA/MPP is creating an equitable future for LGBTQ+ youth in the state of Massachusetts.


University Archivist Kelsey Kolbet '21MS/MA assists Archives Field Placement student Abigail Smith '22MS, video still by Ashley Purvis.

Archivist Cherishes Communal Essence of Libraries

National Library Lovers’ Month is, according to the Boston Public Library, “a time to recognize the value of libraries and all the special things we love about them.” To celebrate National Library Lovers’ Month, we spoke with University Archivist Kelsey Kolbet ’21MS/MA about her love of archives and women’s history, and why she chose Simmons.


Corrie Locke-Hardy standing at a counter with a plate of donuts

Feeding the Revolution Through Baking and Activism

Corrie Locke-Hardy '20MA combines her love of baking with social activism with her cookbook, The Revolution Will Be Well Fed.


Shelves full of children's books. Photo by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash.

Alumnae/i Receive Awards from American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) announced winners of the 2025 Youth Media Awards, including Breanna J. McDaniel ’14MA, Gabe Cole Novoa ’19MFA, Stephanie Seales ’09MA, and Sacha Lamb ’20MS/MA.


An aerial view of sidewalks on the Simmons University campus

Honoring the National Day of Racial Healing

January 21, 2025 — the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day — is the ninth annual National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH). Created by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, NDORH "is an opportunity to engage in collective action to create a more just and equitable world."


Dianna Shaw

Internship Inspires Alumnae/i Career in Healthcare

Dianna Shaw ’92, who majored in psychology and sociology at Simmons, was interviewed by The Bay Magazine about her over 30-year career assisting older adults.


The Passionate Leaders Scholars, Fall 2024 Cohort

Celebrating the 2024-25 Passionate Leaders Scholars

Six Simmons undergraduate scholars from different disciplines have been selected to join the 2024-2025 Passionate Leaders Project cohort.


Ways to Get Involved as a Gwen Ifill School Alum

Share Your News

We are proud of the accomplishments of our alumni and want to promote your work. Have you received a promotion, been hired for a new position, engaged in meaningful volunteer work, published an article or book chapter, or received an award? Please let us know! Please submit your news and the Simmons news team will be in touch.

Donate

Consider donating to a special scholarship or initiative. Your support will resonate with future Gwen Ifill School students.

Contact Us

The Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences

The Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences cultivates trailblazers and leaders. Here, you'll study the modes of expression through which we record and interpret the human experience.