Staff Spotlight: Ariana Khan, Dean's Office
What position do you currently serve at Leavey? Manager of Operations
Hobbies/Interests: I am a theatre kid who loves all aspects. My current side hustle is Dialect Coaching for plays, which I love! But when I am not doing theatre or spending time with my family & friends, I am a true homebody who loves to crochet, watch a hilarious sitcom with my husband and cuddle my dog, Kosmos. Fun Fact: I am oldest of seven kids and three of us went to SCU!
Biography: I am originally from the Bay Area, but I moved to Austin with my mom when I was a kid. Later, I came back to attend SCU for undergrad, which makes me a Super Bronco! I majored in Theatre Arts and Political Science, and I loved every minute of it. Once I graduated, I spent several years working and saving for grad school. I ended up getting into The New School for Drama in NYC, where I ultimately graduated in with an MFA in Acting. After a few years working in retail and food service, I ended up getting a temp job at a startup working in Operations, where I eventually went onto managing the Finance Operations for the entire company. I was lucky that this job continued to stay remote after Covid because after 10 years of living in NYC, I was ready to come back to the Bay, so we packed up our pup and drove cross country. Even luckier, a couple of years later, I was able to achieve one of my dreams of coming back to work for my wonderful Alma Mater.
Advice for Undergraduate Students: "Take advantage of everything you can while you're here. Unsure about study abroad? Do it! Not sure if you're too shy to take a theatre class? Sign up for it! Worried you won't know anyone at that event that looks interesting? Go and meet new people! Not to scare, but once you get out of here, there is a so much that will take up your time, energy and thoughts. Santa Clara provides so many opportunities to broaden your perspective and allow for experiences that you most likely will not find after you leave. And honestly, those are the ones that end up sticking with you for the rest of your life"