Amherst admission deans are involved in all aspects of the college admission process, from conducting information sessions for prospective applicants and families, to traveling afar to meet with high school students and counselors across the nation and the world, to reading applications and participating in admission committee to make those difficult final decisions. The admission deans work closely with an amazing and talented operations staff who keep track of every document, every phone call, and every email and generally keep things running smoothly in our office!

The information below is intended to help you get to know our admission deans on a more personal level, but please be aware that Amherst does not track demonstrated interest for applicants, so there is no reason to get in touch with a particular dean. If you do have a question or need to get in touch with our office, please email us at admission@amherst.edu or call us at 413-542-2328. Our staff will then direct your question to the dean who can best answer it.


Matthew L. McGann

Matthew L. McGann

Dean of Admission and Financial Aid

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Spot on Campus: Valentine Dining Hall
Favorite Food: Hand-pulled noodles
Hobbies/Activities: Games & puzzles, cycling
Pronouns: he/him/his

Cate Granger Zolkos

Cate Granger Zolkos

Dean of Admission

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Spot on Campus: Anywhere in the Science Center
Favorite Quote:
 "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" -Mary Oliver
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Dale R. Hendricks

Dale R. Hendricks

Deputy Dean of Admission & Financial Aid

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Quote: "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." -James Baldwin
Favorite Book: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Hobbies/Activities: Running, hiking Mt.Tom, spending time with the kiddos
Pronouns: he/him/his

Bridget Campolettano

Bridget Campolettano

Director of Communications

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: I love hearing about all the different things that students are interested in, and the ways that they pursue those interests.
Favorite Spot on Campus:
The view from Memorial Hill
Favorite Food: Any kind of ice cream
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Will Cummins

Will Cummins

Associate Dean of Admission

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Spot on Campus: The War Memorial
Favorite Place to Travel: Madrid, Spain. The city is vibrant, the art museums are incredible, the people are friendly, and the food is superb.
Fun Fact: I'm a twin!

Michael T. Hawkins

Michael T. Hawkins

Associate Dean of Admission

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Spot on Campus: First and foremost, the Wilson Center -- then Valentine Hall, Frost Library, LeFrak Gymnasium as close seconds!
Favorite Thing About Amherst: COMMUNITY!
Pronouns: he/him/his

Lexi Hurd

Lexi Hurd

Associate Dean of Admission

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: Amherst is a place that encourages deep thought and connection not only between ideas and concepts but also between people and communities.
Favorite Place to Travel: Our Adirondack cabin (affectionately referred to as "camp") which has been in our family for about 100 years.
Fun Fact: I've seen my favorite band in concert 150 times (and counting)!
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Xiaofeng Wan

Xiaofeng Wan

Assoc Dean of Admission & Coord of International Recruitment

Wilson Admissions

My Name in Chinese Characters: 万晓峰 (Wan Xiaofeng). In Chinese, the surname is written first, then the given name.
Favorite Food: Seafood. I grew up in Qingdao (Tsingtao), a beautiful coastal city in the Northeast of China. 
Fun Fact: I was once a national English radio broadcaster and journalist in Beijing. 
Pronouns: he/him/his

Chris Muñoz-Calene

Chris Muñoz-Calene

Associate Dean of Admission/Coordinator of Diversity Outreach

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: Community and academic inquiry are linked at Amherst; there is a sense of “working with” rather than “against”. If you walk through campus, especially Frost Library or Valentine Dining Hall at dinner time, you will see the connections people share here.
Favorite Quote: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” ― Annie Dillard, The Writing Life
Fun Fact: I spent two years in the northernmost state in Germany, Schleswig-Holstein.
Pronouns: he/him/his

Juan A. Gonzalez

Juan A. Gonzalez

Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: The ambitious and comprehensive financial aid package that meets 100% of admitted student's family's financial need. Amherst is a great place to work and is strongly committed to ensuring that the student body reflects the national diversity in a globalized world.
Favorite Book: War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America's Colony by Nelson Antonio Denis
Favorite Food: Arroz con habichuelas, pollo frito y tostones (white Rice w/beans, fried chicken and fried plaintains)
Pronouns: He/Him/Él

Kathryn Hardy

Kathryn Hardy

Assistant Dean of Admission

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Spot on Campus: Sitting in any one of the campus Adirondack chairs in autumn.
Favorite Place to Travel: Bangkok, Thailand. I am lucky to have family there, and they know all of the best food stops!
Fun Fact: I've always loved playing and watching soccer - I'm a big USWNT and Everton fan (go Toffees!).
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Nick Fritz

Nick Fritz

Assistant Dean of Admission

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: The positive and welcoming energy and spirit of the entire Amherst College community!
Favorite Quote: "The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt." - Sylvia Plath
Favorite Place to Travel: Tuscany, Italy. The food, the art, and the people make it a great place to explore and a hard place to leave!
Pronouns: he/him/his

Rachel E. Chaffin

Rachel E. Chaffin

Interim Assistant Dean of Admissions

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: How deeply Amherst students, staff, and faculty care about their work and each other.
Hobbies/Activities: Baking while watching the Great British Baking Show.
Fun Fact: I spent a summer professionally baking for a local coffee shop!
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Jake Montes-Adams

Jake Montes-Adams

Admission Counselor

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: The amazing students, staff, and faculty who make this community special.
Favorite Food: Chile colorado
Favorite Place to Travel: London

Nathaniel Grove

Nathaniel Grove

Admission Counselor - Diversity Outreach

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: The people! Professors, students, staff, everyone's amazing.
Favorite Spot on Campus: The little bench in the trees behind Fayerweather.
Favorite Place to Travel: Lake Champlain
Pronouns: he/him/his

 

Cassidy Pawul

Cassidy Pawul

Admission Counselor

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: The people, hands down.
Favorite Food: If we're talking savory, Osaka Sushi or Red Rose pizza; if we're talking sweet, carrot cake or anything with caramel.
Favorite Place to Travel: Montréal, Quebec or anywhere in France--I love being able to keep up my language skills :)
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Kenzie M. Bruso

Kenzie M. Bruso

Associate Director of Admission Systems

Wilson Admissions

Favorite TV Show: Sopranos and The Office
Favorite Quote: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou
Favorite Food: Brick oven pizza
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Stephanie E. Bushee

Stephanie E. Bushee

Assistant Director of Admission and Financial Aid Systems

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Spot on Campus: Book and Plow Farm
Hobbies/Activities: I love animals and the outdoors, point me to a path less traveled with my dogs and I am a happy camper. 
Favorite Quote: “Forever is composed of nows.” - Emily Dickinson
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Mariah Stewart

Mariah Stewart

Communications Specialist

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: The community!
Hobbies/Activities: Reading and journaling 
Favorite Food: Dark Chocolate
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Helen Ramspott

Visitor Center Manager

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Spot on Campus: Wildlife Sanctuary 
Hobbies/Activities: Dancing, felting, and laughing
Favorite Food: Blueberries
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Marcy L. Dyer

Marcy L. Dyer

Asst to the Dean of Adm & Financial Aid and Dean of Adm

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: My colleagues and the students
Hobbies/Activities: Cooking, traveling, reading
Favorite Place to Travel: Bank St. Beach - Harwichport, Cape Cod
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Debbie Fuller

Debbie Fuller

Admission Operations and Data Specialist

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Place to Travel: Arizona
Fun Fact: I have triplet daughters and one son
Favorite Food: Sushi
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Lynn A. Rodriguez

Admission Assistant

Wilson Admissions
Tara A. Tetrault

Tara A. Tetrault

Admission Processor/Event Coordinator

Wilson Admissions

Favorite Thing About Amherst: Valentine and my co-workers
Favorite Quote: "One day at a time"
Favorite Place to Travel: Shelburne Falls
Pronouns: she/her/hers