A moment with… Laura Dziuban

in Highlight
March 6th, 2020

1. What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy the chances I get to meet CELOP students and learn their stories. It is so interesting to meet people from all over the world, and I enjoy learning about our students’ backgrounds, goals, and aspirations. It’s also really sweet to watch our students form friendships while they’re here and make connections that will last a long time.

2. What did you do before working at CELOP?

Before working at CELOP, I worked for a study abroad program at Northeastern University, where college students studied in different places around the world for their first semester.

3. Where are you from?

I grew up in a small town in Maryland called Forest Hill. It’s about an hour north of Baltimore and two hours north of Washington, D.C.

4. Favorite thing to do in Boston?

It’s hard to choose just one thing because there is always so much to do in Boston! My favorite place to go for a walk or to sit outside and read is the Charles River Esplanade. It’s beautiful in all seasons because there are a lot of trees, and people go there for all sorts of activities, such as biking, picnicking, kayaking, outdoor movies, and concerts.

5. If you had to eat one meal, every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

It’s not technically a meal, but I love cheese and could probably eat all the different kinds of cheeses for the rest of my life!

6. What’s your favorite TV Show?

My favorite TV shows are ones that aren’t on TV anymore: Gilmore Girls about a single mother and her daughter; the West Wing about a group of intelligent and moral White House staffers; and Friends, which was a super popular TV show about a group of young adults living in New York City. Even though they’re not on TV anymore, I love to watch the reruns and old episodes of these shows.

7. What is the best destination you’ve travelled to?

One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to is New Zealand. It is so green and lush and vibrant! I also loved Cinque Terre along the Italian Riviera coastline. I’ve been lucky enough to spend time in multiple places in Italy, and would go back to the country in a heartbeat. The people, the food, the language – I love all of it.

8. Favorite restaurant in Boston?

My go-to place for brunch is Trident Café, located on Newbury Street. It’s both a café and a bookstore, they display paintings or photographs by local artists, and they always have quirky little gifts that are fun to buy for other people. My favorite place for dinner in the North End is called Antico Forno, but you really can’t go wrong with any restaurant in the North End.

9. What are your hobbies?

I’m a huge reader, so reading is definitely my main hobby when I’m not at work or in class. I’m in two book clubs and love to talk about books with anyone who will listen and provide recommendations. I consistently have books checked out from the library but also love to browse local bookstores. I’m starting to get into audiobooks, too, because I usually walk to and from work, which is about 45 minutes from where I live.

10. What is your hidden talent?

When I was in college, I was really into photography and actually did a couple of weddings and portrait sessions. You can see some of my photos on my website: laurabrondphotography.com.

11. What would people never guess you do in your role?

I do a lot of the “behind the scenes” work that supports CELOP’s programs that students don’t normally see. Students might also not know that we have a lot of group and professional programs that come to CELOP for shorter terms – those are the programs where I do most of my work.