Michigan’s Jill Huerta to head Center for Graduate Life

Jill Huerta will become director of the Center for Graduate Life effective Monday, July 2. She will assume the overall responsibility for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the center, which is an initiative of the UNC Charlotte Graduate School.

The Center for Graduate Life, located in the Cone University Center, provides professional development, support and sense of community to help prepare the University’s approximate 5,000 graduate students for productive roles on the job, whether their career plans involve business or academia.

“To be successful in their careers, graduate students must have not only excellent academic preparation but also the opportunity to think, to explore and to do their best work,” said Tom Reynolds, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School. “The CGL provides that opportunity. We’re excited to have Jill join that effort.”

Huerta joins UNC Charlotte from the University of Michigan, where for the past five years she has served as the associate director of the MBA program for the Ross School of Business. She also served as an instructor at Eastern Michigan University, Adrian College, Mott Community College and Michigan State University. Huerta holds a Ph.D. in history from Michigan State.

Huerta arrives in time to oversee orientation for new graduate students in August. Among her initial top priorities will be to reach out to campus partners to establish collaborative opportunities to support student success.

Katherine Hall-Hertel, associate dean for graduate academic and student affairs, has overseen the center since its establishment in 2010. Huerta will be the first, full-time director dedicated to the center.