Staff Spotlight: Lindsey Akin
November 15, 2020
Lindsey Akin is a Student Services Officer in MS&E. After earning her masters degree in Counseling Psychology, Lindsey has primarily worked in school settings, taking on various roles throughout her 14 year career at Stanford.
Her experience in community building, event and schedule planning, program management have all contributed to our students' experiences during their time on campus. But her passion was always to work directly with students during their educational journey. With Lindsey's extensive background both at Stanford and through her studies, she strives to instill a holistic focus in working with students throughout their time at Stanford.
Education
Santa Clara University: MA, Counseling Psychology, MFT, 2015
University of Liverpool: BA (Hons), Politics and Communication Studies, 2000
What has led you to Student Services?
I have an endless fascination with other people and their experiences and stories, and Student Services allows me to be part of a community of similarly caring people, working with students in a way that can make a difference. Part of the reason I really love admissions is that we get to immediately witness the students’ individual lives change when they’re admitted, but we also get to see the impact they go on to have in the world around us after Stanford. I find great meaning and purpose in that.
Role in Student Services
My main focus is with the Master's students and program. My role spans working with prospective students and assisting in the admissions process, to the admit day and new student orientation events, to advising current students on their MPP’s and study plans, to checking that academic requirements are met and we're ready to clear our students for graduation. I really enjoy being with our students through their whole MS&E journey, from how to apply and when they deciding to come, to their graduation achievement.
Impact I want to make in Student Services
The MS&E team is strong and already had a great reputation when I came to it; that was part of what attracted me. I want to maintain that reputation for excellence. In saying that, there is always opportunity for improvement, and I will suggest change and streamline processes where possible. I have never been scared to ask why things are done a certain way if there might be a better way to do it. And with my background in mental health, I also hope that we can continue making progress with a holistic focus on our students.
Personal
I’m originally from a small city in North East England in the UK called Durham. It's about 15 miles south of Newcastle, closer to Edinburgh than London. I lived in Liverpool for a few years after graduating, before moving here to marry my American husband in 2004, after 21 months of a long distance relationship. I work a 30 hour week on campus, which gives me an amazing work-life balance, allowing me to be home in time to pick my 7 year old up from school.
I’ve always been a people person—everyone's ‘agony aunt’ at school, volunteering at the UK’s national suicide hotline, I’m a Myers Briggs ENFJ, and I loved my MA studies in Counseling Psychology.