Emalina Thompson is the Interim Assistant Dean for Admissions and Enrollment Management at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University—New Brunswick. She has almost a decade of experience working in higher education and admissions. She is also an alumna of Mason Gross and an active freelance musician in the tri-state area. In addition to her work in higher ed and the arts, she is a Falana’I Mentor and active member of NPIEN (National Pacific Islander Educators Network), a non-profit that seeks to promote higher education among the Pacific Islander community. Born and raised in Long Beach, California, she now resides on the East Coast with her partner and fur baby Lily.