People

Connector Staff

Erin Michael Salius, Director

Erin became the inaugural director of the CAS Experiential Learning Connector on December 1, 2022. It has been her great honor to develop this resource with and for CAS undergraduates. Erin is a proud alum of BU Arts & Sciences, having earned her doctorate in English from GRS in 2015. Her scholarship focuses on contemporary African American literature and religion. Prior to joining the Connector, she served as associate dean in Metropolitan College and director of Summer Term at BU. In her free time, she enjoys running, volunteering at a cat shelter with her family, and baking vegan treats.

Grace Hymel, Assistant Director

Grace joined the EL Connector in September 2023. After spending several years dedicated to community engagement and leadership development in higher education, she is passionate about sharing the transformative power of experiential learning and supporting students in their leadership toward a more just world. Grace earned her M.S. in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Miami University (in Ohio) and her B.A. in Sociology from Loyola University Maryland. Outside of work, Grace enjoys being active in nature, listening to podcasts, and road tripping to new places with friends

Electra Scarpignato, Graduate Assistant

Electra is pursuing a Masters in Biomedical Engineering. She is originally from Maryland but completed her B.S. in Biomedical Egineering at Florida Institute of Technology. During her undergraduate studies, she was involved in cardiovascular tissue engineering research and served as a resident assistant, where she developed a passion for helping students succeed. This passion has pushed Electra to pursue a future career as a professor. Electra is excited to be a part of the EL Connector and to help students engage in meaningful opportunities that will further their success. In her free time, Electra enjoys hiking, cooking, and trying new coffee shops.

Student Staff

Lucas Dantas Leite, EL Ambassador

Lucas is a senior from Ceara, Brazil majoring in Philosophy. Lucas is passionate about engaging in interdisciplinary research incorporating, among other things, Linguistics and Ecology into Philosophy. They also love to spend time volunteering with the BU Cycle Kitchen as well as various community organizations around Boston, and edit The Beat, a magazine affiliated with WTBU. Lucas is also a Simpson fellow where they help students with department-specific writing projects. Lucas loves to spend their time cooking and exploring Boston on bike.

Urvi Patel, EL Ambassador

Urvi is a senior studying Biology, with a Specialization in Behavior, and Behavior Health on the pre-health track. She is from Northeastern Pennsylvania. Outside of the Connector, Urvi is an avid gardener, reader, and thrifter. On campus, she is an undergraduate research assistant as part of the Child Health Equity Lab, was a Community Health Intern in a Domestic Violence Organization, and a volunteer in the Alzheimer’s Buddies club. Her favorite part of the Connector is being able to build deep and meaningful relationships with other students and helping them navigate different opportunities on campus.

Philipp Standring, EL Ambassador

Philipp is a rising junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Data Science. Outside of the connector, he is the lab coordinator at the Quantitative Psychopathology Lab and a research assistant at the Biobehavioral and Social-Emotional Development Lab. When he’s not working, he enjoys collecting bucket hats and exploring restaurants with friends in Boston. He hopes to support all his fellow CAS students maximize the opportunities available to them through the Connector.

Jessica Wu, EL Ambassador

Jessica is a junior majoring in Psychology and Sociology on the pre law track with minors in Deaf Studies, Urban Studies, and Women and Gender Studies. She is from Denver, Colorado and enjoys beekeeping, along with visiting museums. She is passionate about pursuing criminal justice law with the hopes of influencing a chain reaction within the justice system and truncating the effects of generational incarceration. Outside of the classroom, she serves as the Vice President of Correspondence for the CAS Dean’s Hosts, the Vice President of Deaf Studies Club, and the Treasurer of BU Business Law Club. Ultimately as a part of the Connector’s EL Ambassador program, Jessica is more than excited to build connections and aid others in learning about new resources.

Lynne Zhou, EL Ambassador

Lynne Zhou is a junior at Boston University majoring in Economics and Mathematics. Outside of the Connector, she has interned at PMF in Miami, served as an economic analyst on BU’s Fed Challenge Team, and volunteered at stray animal shelters in both Miami and Beijing. In her free time, Lynne enjoys exploring new restaurants and traveling to experience different cultures!