Mikoto Nakamura is a BA/MA student who graduated in 2024 with her Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry (Minor in Global Engagement), and a 2025 Master of Arts in Biology. Her campus employment journey has seamlessly weaved together her academic passions with her passions for community-building. She has supported students, staff, and faculty through her powerful contributions in tutoring, academic advising, research, data administration, and event/program management. Congratulations to Miko for winning the 2025 Graduate Student of the Year award!
As an International Student Orientation Intern, one of the most fulfilling parts of my role was welcoming a new wave of international students to the Wesleyan community and helping them navigate their first few days on campus, whether that meant answering questions, organizing events, or just being a friendly face. Being a part of their Wesleyan journey, even in a small way, was incredibly rewarding.
At first, it was definitely overwhelming trying to balance various campus jobs on top of other commitments. What really helped me was being honest and transparent with other coworkers, your boss, and most importantly yourself about how much time you can realistically dedicate to each responsibility. By maintaining open communication with the people I worked with, it made it much easier to maintain a healthy balance between different jobs and stay committed to everything I care about.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to student employees or other staff to learn more about the role. Talking to the actual people doing the job can give you valuable insight into what to expect and whether it’s the right fit for you. Campus jobs are meant to help students grow and acquire skills to utilize into the future, and your supervisors are more than willing to help you learn. Campus jobs are a safe space for you to explore and take initiative, so make full use of it!
How has your campus job helped you build connections or networks within the university or broader community?
My various campus jobs have allowed me to be connected with a variety of different people, both students and staff, at various capacities. In my role as an Academic Peer Advisor, I was able to connect with different departments across campus and students of all class years, from pre-frosh to seniors. A lot of the connections I made through this role has helped me feel more connected to the Wesleyan community, even as I transitioned from being an undergraduate to a graduate student at Wesleyan.
Mikoto won the 2025 Graduate Student of the Year Award. She was nominated by her supervisors at the Office of Student Academic Resources (SAR). Read the nominations below.
Khai Tran, Academic Support Coordinator:
Miko was key to the success of the academic peer group coaching series piloted in Fall 2024. She designed the curriculum for effective exam preparation and test-taking strategies. She provided insightful feedback from her experience as a STEM undergrad and Peer Tutor at Wes. Students who completed the series and the coach who led it provided very positive feedback on the curriculum. Miko also helped design a comprehensive feedback form to measure impact and gather data to improve the coaching series. While she tutored only in her undergrad years, Miko was highly sought-after. Both students and faculty remarked on her excellent teaching, patience, and the positive encouragement she gave students who had a hard time with Chemistry. Miko has been an Academic Peer Advisor since undergrad and has helped so many students in all aspects from course selection, study skills, time management, and navigating social life and belonging at Wes. I’ve referred many students to meet with Miko to work on accountability or to seek advice on success in STEM strategies. Miko has led many campus events as an Academic Peer Advisor. I’ve worked with her on organizing study breaks, various academic resource fairs/workshops/presentations. One time, within a 24-hour notice, Miko was able to work with ResLife {the Office of Residential Life} student staff to organize an event about academic support. Miko is undoubtedly a brilliant student. She finds ways to share her wisdom and has been instrumental in the success of many Wesleyan students and initiatives.
Crystal Rose Hill-Farrell, Director of Student Academic Resources:
Miko has been a part of Wesleyan’s academic support system as a Tutor and Peer Advisor with SAR for several years. This year, she took on the additional role of Data Coordinator, improving how SAR tracks and uses data. She created better collection methods, worked with a CCSU {Central Connecticut State University} grad intern to refine them, and presented findings to the team for further improvement. Her work has made peer advising more effective and accessible.
Outside of SAR, Miko builds community in STEM. As a steering committee member for WesMaSS and Wesleyan Women in Science, she helps organize faculty lunches, lab tours, and career sessions that bring students and faculty together. She engages others in these efforts, making sure more students have access to resources and opportunities. Miko leads by doing. She improves systems, supports students, and gets others involved. Her work has strengthened academic support and community at Wesleyan.
Miko’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. She consistently models patience and resourcefulness, empowering her peers to succeed. Her innovative data initiatives not only improved our internal processes but also amplified the effectiveness of our outreach. Miko’s mentoring approach includes interpersonal warmth and unwavering dedication to helping others learn and grow. She has become an indispensable member of our team and will be greatly missed next year.
Updated May 14, 2025.
