Meet the 2022 – 2023 Admissions Graduate Assistants

by Kat Woodard, MDiv ’25

Kat Woodard, she/her, MDiv ’25

Image Description: Kat has dark blonde hair and fair skin. She is wearing a long sleeve, cream-colored dress. In the center of the photo, Kat is softly smiling and sitting in front of a large, tan column. With both of her hands resting on her lap, she is holding a crimson-colored felt Harvard pennant.

Kat is a first-year MDiv student considering higher education chaplaincy. More broadly, she is interested in studying the cultural impacts of religious education and the relationship between spirituality and psychology. Although Kat originally hails from Nashville, TN, she now lives right on the Cambridge/Somerville line with her two wonderful roommates, Cecily (MTS ’24) and Zac. When she’s not in class or hanging out in the HDS Commons, you can find Kat riding around town on her skateboard, attempting to make some sort of craft, or going for a run. You can learn more about Kat here!

Maggie Helmick, she/her, MTS ’23

Image Description: Maggie is pictured from the shoulders up, in front of a sandy area with greenery in the background. She has long brown hair and fair skin. Maggie is wearing a spaghetti strap light purple top and a dainty gold necklace. She smiles at the camera as the sun hits her face.

Maggie is a second-year MTS student at HDS with an area of focus in Comparative Religion. Her primary academic interest is exploring the role religion plays in human relationships to the natural world, particularly regarding religious expressions of environmental stewardship. Maggie lives in Cambridge with her partner, Bailey, and dog, Harry. In her free time, Maggie enjoys cooking, baking, skiing, hiking, and spending time with the people she loves. You can learn more about Maggie here!

Nicole Collins, she/her, MTS ’24

Image Description: Nicole stands in front of greenery at Carleton College on her graduation day. She is wearing a long black graduation robe and cap. Nicole has round glasses, fair skin, and long black wavy hair. She smiles while holding a silver golf club, pretending to swing.

Nicole Collins is a first-year MTS student at HDS. She plans to focus on Jewish studies and philosophy of religion with an emphasis on the intersection of transness and religious conversion. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies (Metropolitan is a recent favorite!), and riding public transportation. You can learn more about Nicole here!

Samirah Jaigirdar, she/her, MTS ’24

Image Description: Samirah stands smiling in front of the large, wooden doors outside Swartz Hall at the HDS campus. She has collar bone length dark black hair, glasses with square shaped black frames, and brown skin. She is wearing a festive fall outfit, comprised of a dark green long-sleeve shirt, a black puffer vest, blue jeans, and a white scarf with red and white striped detailing.

Samirah is a first-year MTS student, focusing on religion, ethics, and politics. She is from Dhaka, Bangladesh and is interested in studying religious extremism, terrorism, and radicalization. She is also a research associate for the Harvard Pluralism Project. In her free time, Samirah loves to cook, read, and watch documentaries! You can learn more about Samirah here!