An informational interview is one you conduct with someone working in a field for an institution or company that you want to consider working in and for. How do you conduct an informational interview? What questions should you ask to get the best information about what it’s like to do that job for that organization? How do you network to locate people to ask for an informational interview?

As director of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Division of Graduate Studies at UC Santa Cruz, Lorato Anderson focuses on advancing initiatives for minoritized graduate student support across multiple campus-wide projects and providing direct support to students, staff, faculty, and programs. Lorato graduated with a B.A. in Literature/Writing from UC San Diego and received her M.S. in Higher Education Administration and Policy from Northwestern University, where she researched and developed assessment models for English language learners and created multiple DEI programs that are still active. She has extensive experience in grant writing, teaching, advising, assessment, and creating long-lasting research-backed programs to promote minoritized undergraduate and graduate student success.

Lorato has worked on campus since 2016 and received the 2020 Outstanding Staff Achievement Award in Social Sciences. Her previous roles include graduate program adviser and coordinator for Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS) and Politics and undergraduate advisor for Psychology. She takes pride in incorporating social justice and empathetic advising strategies and teaching pedagogies into her work in advising, administration, and grant and program development.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVENTS