Hutton Honors College

— Meet Your Advisors

Director of Advising
Barbara Edwards

Barbara Edwards was born in Philadelphia, began her school years in South Dakota and Minnesota, and arrived in Indiana in time to enter the fourth grade. Following graduation from DePauw University, she earned an M.A. in English literature at the University of Pennsylvania, prior to teaching English at a suburban high school. After ten years in Philadelphia, she returned to Indiana to attend IU, where she completed a master's degree in counseling and a doctorate in education.
Hobbies: Reading, traveling, and talking, especially with students.
Best tip for the college years: Be aware of the wealth of opportunities available at IU and in the Hutton Honors College. Shape your experience here by carefully selecting your courses, your major(s), and other educational endeavors. Talk with your professors and use student services such as advising and the Career Development Center. Consider studying and traveling overseas, pursuing an internship, volunteering through community service projects, participating in an organization, and taking advantage of the cultural programs on campus. And be especially alert to the benefits offered to Hutton Honors College students to enhance their undergraduate experience.
Email: edwardsb@indiana.edu.
Appointments: 855-3555.

Coordinator of Student Programs & Academic Advisor
Lisa Bluder

Originally from the Chicago area, Lisa Bluder went to St. Olaf College in Minnesota and received her B.A. in psychology and family studies. Since then she has worked at a non-profit community center for adults with brain injuries in the Chicago area and for IU Medical Center in Indianapolis doing cognitive testing with Alzheimer's patients.
Field of Study: Lisa recently completed the masters program for higher education & student affairs located in the School of Education.
Hobbies: Reading, walking, biking, traveling, baking, and Yoga. Most of all, she enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Best tip for the college years: Enjoy the opportunities IU offers you as a student-extracurricular activities, performing arts & sporting events, guest lectures, study abroad, community service, and many more! It will help provide: a good sense of "balance" to course work, an avenue to meet new people, and possibly inspire new interests.
Email:lbluder@indiana.edu. Appointments: 855-3555

Diversity Outreach Coordinator & Academic Advisor
Rebecca Porter

Rebecca Porter was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and earned a B.A. in journalism and completed her teaching certificate (grades 6-12). She then spent two years living and teaching in urban Memphis, TN. She then moved to Branson, MO to work for a sports camp for inner-city youth in her summers and spent the year recruiting collegiate staff from across the country. Eventually this led her back to Bloomington to pursue her M.S. in Education-Higher Education and Student Affairs
Hobbies: Running, fixing up the house, learning about privilege and education issues in this country and educating others, hanging out with my husband and our dog, and spending time with friends and family spread around the world.
Best tip for the college years: Make sure you get the experience you need to get the job that you want. You truly learn by doing, and most often figure out what you want to do for a career by trying something and finding out its not exactly what you expected. Often where you are now and what you are doing will lead you to your next step. Also, Get Involved-not just with IU, but the Bloomington community-get to know it by doing some community service, everyone will benefit!
Email: rravensb@indiana.edu.
Appointments: 855-3555.

Academic Advisor
Khalfan Mohamed

Khalfan Mohamed was born and raised in Zanzibar, Tanzania. He went to college at the Russian Friendship University in Moscow, Russia where he graduated with a law degree. After a brief working stint in Tanzania, he joined Indiana University Bloomington School of Law and graduated with a Masters Degree (LLM) in International Law. He is currently working towards a PhD in Political Science. He also taught Swahili at Indiana University Bloomington for seven years.
Hobbies: Travelling, learning foreign languages and cultures and spending time with family and friends.
Best tip for the college years: Take advantage of the many opportunities that are available to you at college. Your college years are the best chance for you to exploit the countless resources made available and that may not be there once you graduate. It is a lifetime opportunity. Take advantage of it!
Email: khmohamm@indiana.edu.
Appointments: 855-3555.

Graduate Student Advisors
Maureen Bresnahan Baska
Craig Harper

Maureen Bresnahan Baska grew up in a suburb of Chicago and attended the University of Notre Dame where she earned a BA in English and Computer Applications. After graduation she returned to Chicago and worked for Morningstar, a financial publishing and analysis company, for three years. In August 2007, she and her fiancé (now husband) moved to Bloomington where she worked for several months at Solution Tree, an educational publishing company, coordinating professional development for educators before coming to the HHC and embarking upon her graduate studies.
Field of Study at IU: Maureen is a graduate student in the School of Education and is pursuing a masters degree in counseling. She hopes to one day be a career counselor or full time academic advisor.
Hobbies: Running, reading, baking, hanging out with family and friends, and following ND sports (particularly football).
Best tip for the college years: You don't have to major in business to work in a business related field. Employers are looking for intelligent people with solid communication skills who can adapt easily to change--a liberal arts degree can give you that! Study something that excites and interests you. Also seriously consider studying abroad! The experiences you gain are irreplaceable and you'll get to visit some amazing places. It is certainly a decision you won't regret.
Email:mbresnah@indiana.edu. Appointments: 855-3555

Craig Harper was a biology teacher at North Central High School in Indianapolis, and a trip leader for The Outdoor Academy in North Carolina. He has also worked at several environmental education centers. His favorite class from college was gross anatomy where he dissected a human cadaver for 5 weeks in the summer.
Field of Study at IU: Craig is a graduate student in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, where he is pursuing both a masters in environmental science and another in environmental policy.
Hobbies: Hiking (he completed the entire Appalachian Trail in 2005), rock climbing, cooking, reading, and traveling.
Best tip for the college years: Challenge the existing assumptions you have- about people, courses, and life in general, and get out of your comfort zone.
Email:craharpe@umail.iu.edu. Appointments: 855-3555