It’s time to meet another member of our outstanding admission team — Ashley Blasland! Ashley is our Senior Associate Director of Admission and wears many hats in the office. Read on to learn more about the perfect food day in New York City, Ashley’s many hobbies outside of work, and more!
Where are you from?
I proudly hail from Syracuse, NY —home of the snowiest sledding hills, the spookiest Halloween haunted hayrides, and best chicken tenders on earth at Tully’s! Go Orange!
What brought you to TC?
I always knew I wanted to work on a college campus because I find that the energy is electric! Everyone you find there (staff, students, faculty) is working towards a greater goal: they are each trying to learn, develop, create, collaborate, examine, advance, and ultimately, make a difference. Although I am drawn to campuses in general for this reason, when I first walked through TC’s grand Zankel entrance, I sensed immediately that these feelings are heightened here. And I was correct! Although TC brings such a diverse array of wonderful people and perspectives together, the heartbeat of the college is the commonality that everyone shares: our unmatched desire to improve our communities and our world. I am inspired each day by the people around me, and I couldn’t feel more honored to share space with individuals who are truly making a meaningful impact on society.
What is your position in the Admission Office? What kinds of projects do you work on?
As Senior Associate Director of Admission, I wear many hats in our office! First and foremost, I love connecting directly with our applicants, and I find so much joy in guiding and supporting them through their application process. I also work closely with faculty in two of our academic departments to ensure our review processes are running smoothly and to prepare for our new cohorts. While I spend a wealth of time in front of prospective student audiences giving presentations or hosting events, I actually play a fun role in planning these events behind-the-scenes! I am currently leading our virtual recruitment initiatives, and I also happily serve on our Events Committee, which organizes our larger-scale events such as the Fall Open House, Admitted Student Day, campus tours, happy hours, ice cream socials, and more! Finally, I am excited to dive into a new project area, Campus Partnerships, in which I will assist our office in further developing our relationships across campus with our many wonderful colleagues!
What is your favorite place to hang out on campus or in the Morningside Heights area?
Whenever I have a spare moment near campus, you’ll find me popping into Book Culture to browse the shelves for my next favorite read, snagging a cozy spot in the corner of Hex & Co. with a latte, a board game, and a friend, or catching some sunshine next to Alma Mater on the steps of Columbia’s main campus!
What is your favorite food in NYC?
My favorite foods in the city are as follows: the pumpkin scones at Alice’s Tea Cup (with all of the condiments— do not turn them down), the chicken pot pie at Penelope, the pork belly bao buns at Dutch Fred’s, the Parisienne mac n’ cheese at S’mac, and the banana pudding at Magnolia’s. (I swear I eat salads, too!) I’ve just given you the key to falling in love with the city: you’re welcome!
If someone only had one day to spend in the city, what would you tell them they must do?
Well, I think I’ve outlined the perfect food plan for the day (please see previous answer!) Visiting Bryant Park is a must: depending on the season, you can enjoy the holiday market, play ping pong and bocce, visit the reading room, and watch free performances. During your magical NYC day, I would also recommend making time to breeze through the cute shops in Chelsea Market, pick up the best Chai Latte you’ve ever tasted at Blue Dog, and try to crack the code to enter one of the city’s secret speakeasies (hint: my favorite one uses a phone booth as the deceptive facade). To cap off the night, you can’t go wrong with grabbing tickets to see one of the incredible shows on Broadway (“Six” and “& Juliet” are both an absolute blast!) or booking seats through the Rooftop Cinema Club to view a fan favorite movie from a roof in the middle of Manhattan!
What is your favorite activity to do when you’re not working?
When I’m not in the office, I’m always up to something! The English major in me craves coffee-shop days where I can bring the book I’m currently reading as well as work on stories I’m writing. I love performing in musicals whenever possible, and I’m always excited to record voiceover work: I currently moonlight as an 8-year-old superhero in a children’s series called “Rocket Girl”! My alma mater, the University of Virginia, means the world to me, so I’m often looking for ways to get involved, whether it’s volunteering through their mentorship program or attending social events for alumni. You can also find me constantly exploring the city in hopes of uncovering the quirkiest things to do: some favorites include scooting around in bumper cars on ice, attending a candle-making workshop, challenging my friends to mini-golf in an underground club, and playing in a Skeeball League. When my wish is finally granted for more hours in a day, I also have big plans to brush up on my tap dancing skills, practice the ukulele, learn how to bake, and hey — maybe even take a nap once in awhile. 🙂
What is your favorite thing about living in the city?
How much space do I have?! I absolutely love living in NYC because I very much enjoy being in the middle of the action! I love passing people on the street no matter what time it is, I love being steps away from Broadway theaters, I love being able to hop on a train that could whisk me to a beautiful park or to an amazing museum within minutes, and let’s be honest, I especially love being able to order any type of food I want and have it delivered to my doorstep at any time of the day. Ultimately, the bright energy of the city is what keeps me here — it’s exciting and inspiring, and I wake up every day feeling grateful to be a part of it!