Staff Profiles

More than 100 staff members work in the Division of the Humanities. We’ll introduce you to our staff in this continuing series.

Allison Muscolino
Financial and Academic Affairs Administrator
Art History

What do you like most about your job?

Everything is new! I started in late March after 13 years at my last organization. It’s been fun, challenging, stimulating, I am settling into a different routine, work culture, and community. I’m enjoying stepping into processes wide-eyed and curious, with opportunities for creating new systems to support our department community.

What was the last good book you read?

With an almost one year old, I haven’t finished a good book in quite some time. However, I’m currently working on Jenny Odell’s How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy. I’m late to the party, as the book was published in 2019. I’m finding it a fascinating read in our post-Covid moment. Odell advocates for an intentional and radical “opting out” of the virtual world through greater attention to one’s physical environment. She also notes the privilege necessary to make those choices. These ideas have been top-of-mind for me and many others throughout the pandemic, and it’s interesting seeing which cultural shifts we’ll carry forward and which we’re already leaving behind.

You might work with me if …

You have questions related to department funding, hiring, appointments, grant-funded projects, and cross-departmental collaboration.

What is a place you like to visit on the UChicago Hyde Park campus, and why?

I wandered into Bond Chapel early one morning during my first week on the job. I’d been admiring the completely romantic, Secret-Garden-like exterior of the building for months and now finally had interior access with my new ID (perks!). The color, texture, and light in there are so beautiful. In my last job, I designed public museum programs focused on art and meditation. My morning encounter in Bond inspired me to think about ways to do something similar here on campus. I’m always excited to see and talk about art and architecture with others, so reach out and we’ll explore together!

More than 100 staff members work in the Division of the Humanities. We’ll introduce you to our staff in this continuing series.

Brent Fergusson
Manager, Academic Records and Systems
Office of the Dean of Students

What do you like most about your job?
The people I’m working with. The Humanities DOS office is fantastic, and I got a warm reception from various department administrators. When I sent out an email introducing myself and talking about my background, I got many emails back with photos of pets and board game recommendations. Admittedly, I solicited those emails, but still, I wasn’t expecting people to take me up on it.

What was the last good book you read?
I’m finishing up The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman, which I last read when I was in high school, and I’ve really enjoyed it. During the last few years, most of my reading has been much more deeply escapist  and largely in the sci-fi world. I discovered Anne Leckie and voraciously read all of her books, starting with Ancillary Justice.  Then I found Liu Cixin’s Three-Body Problem and read that trilogy. I also revisited two of my favorite series, the Masters of Rome by Colleen McCullough and the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian. The thought of sailing around the South Pacific sustained me through another long COVID winter.

You might work with me if …
…you do anything related to convocation, student milestones, student employment, or reimbursement, among other things. And if you are trying to figure something out, feel free to reach out and I can try to help.