MALS Alumni Spotlight Series: Ashley Wells, MALS '20

Meet MALS '20 alumna, Ashley Wells, who is currently a Ph.D. student in American Studies and Culture at Washington State University. She is also a recent graduate of the American Studies Masters Program at Columbia University.

In addition to her studies, Ashley is currently working as a graduate assistant at WSU's Multicultural Student Services, where she mentors undergraduate students from diverse, minority backgrounds. Ashley is also the co-founder of the non-profit organization, The Prosp(a)rity Project, which was founded in 2020 to improve the economic mobility of college-educated Black women. This year, Ashley was also named Miss Black Washington USA. 

Check out Ashley's write-up below to learn more about her student experience at Dartmouth, how her MALS degree is shaping her career, and what advice she has to offer to current and graduating MALS Students!

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Which year did you graduate from the program, and what was your concentration?

• I graduated from the MALS program in the summer of 2020, and I concentrated in Creative Writing.

Describe your current program and how your experience in MALS is helping you as you pursue your PhD:

• I am currently a first-year Ph.D. student in American Studies and Culture at Washington State University. My research revolves around Black American women and mental health disparities. More specifically, my dissertation will examine the Black Church and how it has had both a positive and negative effect on Black women being able to procure sufficient and culturally competent mental health care. Before beginning my Ph.D. program, I completed an additional master's degree in American Studies at Columbia University. My experience at MALS really introduced me to interdisciplinary study and to the idea of studying minority groups on a deeper, academic level. My classes during the MALS program instilled in me a real excitement for academia. 

Important takeaways from the program:

• As a MALS student, I was fresh out of undergrad. I had a lot of growing to do in all aspects of my life – not just academically. Through MALS, I was able to grow as a leader, as a friend, and as a woman. The MALS program taught me how to be open minded to people with different backgrounds as me and how to stretch my understanding of the world – as my time at Dartmouth was my first experience living outside of my home state.  

Favorite class or classes / favorite professors or faculty?

• My favorite class in MALS was 100% Professor Regine Rosenthal's "Coloring Gender" class that I took during my first quarter in the program. This class was my first that examined any minority group, and that was extremely important for me as a Black woman still finding my academic bearings. This class allowed me to look outside of the realms of creative writing and see that I actually had more interests that lie in Black Studies and Women & Gender Studies. It was in that class that I first began to contemplate going further with American Studies and looking into Ph.D. programs. 

• Additionally, MALS Program Chair and Cultural Studies Concentration Chair Professor Donald Pease was a great influence on me during my time at MALS-- and still is to this day. His passion for research & academia inspires me to continue on this journey, and his kindness to me while I've navigated my time after MALS has always been greatly appreciated! 

Any advice to incoming / current / or graduating MALS students?

• To stay resilient. Often, making it through and succeeding in a graduate program is less about who the smartest in the room is and more about who is willing to work through the long haul. Worry less about getting through your degree program quickly and more about enjoying the ride that is the MALS program. Take every opportunity possible to network with professors, join organizations, and meet fellow graduate students with similar passions as you.

If you are interested in sharing your story, email Ashley.K.Riley@dartmouth.edu, or, complete our alumni form: https://mals.dartmouth.edu/people/mals-alumni/tell-us-your-story