Getting to Know Lin – Graduate Student Intern

I’m thrilled to introduce myself as the newest graduate student intern here at SUNY Online. My name is Lin Lin, and I’m currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Communication at the University at Albany, specializing in Organizational Communication. I’m especially interested in the communicative constitution of reality—how communication shapes organizations, power dynamics, identities, as well as work-life interfaces, etc. This passion is also central to my dissertation research.

My professional goal is to contribute to higher education by applying my qualitative research skills, continuing to grow as a lifelong learner, and connecting with younger generations to support their personal and academic development. I have experience teaching multiple communication courses, including Public Speaking, Organizational Communication, Digital and Social Media, Strategic Communication, and others. My teaching philosophy is that knowledge is co-created, with students playing an active role in shaping the learning experience. I encourage them to share their preferred ways of learning so I can adapt to meet their needs. Instruction Designer is another ideal career path that I would like to pursue. By leveraging the power of technology, I’m inspired by the idea of fostering environments that nurture holistic growth. SUNY Online is the perfect plan to hone my skills, give me hands-on experience to explore and assist online teaching in the largest state university system. It would be ideal if I can become an OSCQR-certified reviewer during the internship.

As a mother of two boys, my research examines resilience among graduate students who are also parents. I hope to provide insights into the unique ways resilience unfolds for graduate-student parents like me, navigating the evolving dynamics of parenthood and academia. I hope the work could help similar others’ in their navigation and finding possibilities for them to enact resilience, finally achieving the success they want.

When I’m not immersed in research or work, I love spending time in the kitchen—especially baking. I have a family tradition of creating personalized, light, less-sweet birthday cakes, as finding them here in the U.S. can be a bit tricky! Each cake is a celebration of flavor and theme, crafted to make each family birthday memorable. The process of baking is therapeutic with immediate results (compared to the lengthy dissertation process). I enjoy seeing people around me well fed with the food I made.

I’m incredibly honored to join and learn from Alexandra and Erin, who are not only knowledgeable, experienced and supportive but have already offered fresh perspectives that inspire both my professional development and parenting styles. I’m genuinely excited to be working with such a talented team and am eager for the journey ahead.