Get to know our very own Communications Coordinator, Alison Kuhn!

1. Tell us about your path to UVA, to where you are now and the work you’re currently doing for the Women’s Center.

I’m the youngest of five by a fair bit. My Mom’s favorite story is when she took my brother and me to the doctor for our annual school shots -- I was going into kindergarten, and my oldest brother was going to JMU. So through my siblings, I got to see a few different colleges starting when I was pretty little. I had visited my sister a few times while she was at UVA (which I now realize was an absurdly nice thing to do - who invites an 11 year old to come hang out with them at college?) and those experiences really stuck with me. I always admired my sister and wanted to follow in her footsteps, so UVA was always on my list. But when it actually came time for me to really look into schools, it became more apparent that it was a good choice for me, beyond my little sister inclinations.

I didn’t know much about the Women’s Center and everything it offered until one night when I was looking for internships on Grounds and found the Center’s site….an hour and a half before the internship application was due. So I stumbled into the Women’s Center, to say the least. I interned as a writer for Iris in 2014, worked as Assistant Editor for Iris in 2015, and started working as the Communications Coordinator full-time a few months after graduating in 2015.

2. Who would you most like to meet (living or dead) for coffee?

Jessica Valenti! I’ve always really loved her writing - she was one of the first feminist writers I read. I recently read her memoir and would love to grab coffee with her to talk about it.

3. Who would you most like to meet (living or dead) for an after-work drink?

Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer. I fell in love with Abbi and Ilana the first time I watched Broad City. They are beyond hilarious and I WISH I could go to happy hour with them.

4. Who would play you in the movie of your life?

I have had people tell me I look like Tina Fey on more than one occasion. With AND without glasses on. So I mean, how could I not choose her? We look alike, we share the same alma mater, she’s hilarious…It’s a no brainer.

5. What’s your most unpopular opinion?

I think peanut butter flavored anything is disgusting. The only way I can eat peanut butter is if it is coming straight out of the jar.

6. Tell us about your career as you’ve experienced it as a woman in your field.

I honestly don’t know that I have anything to say about that yet. This is my first full-time job since I graduated from college AND I work at a Women’s Center. All of my coworkers are women - that’s bonkers. It was such a natural transition for me to go from working for the Center as an undergrad to a full-time employee, that I think I’ve taken that aspect of my work environment for granted. But I’m definitely grateful for it - you don’t find a work environment like this every day! Learn more about Alison's work here at the Women's Center on our Faculty & Staff bios page.  Interested in working with Women's Center staff members like Alison? UVA undergraduate students can apply in the spring semester to participate in our internship program the following academic year. The application period for Women’s Center internships opens in late January or early February each year and closes on March 1st.