Testimonials | LiridonaVeliuAshiku

Voices from My Circle

Hear directly from those who have worked and interacted with me.

Maria Todorova

Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor of History Emerita; Center of Advanced Studies Professor Emerita, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

"Liridona is a mature young scholar, very sophisticated, careful and meticulous in her work but at the same time with a wonderful modesty which makes her responsive to suggestions and corrections. Her discipline and laudable work ethic, natural intelligence, and intellectual curiosity are guarantees for her future academic success."

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Gëzim Visoka

Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, Dublin City University

"Liridona is an outstanding scholar, researcher, and teacher. I highly recommend Liridona. Her research profile and commitment to pedagogy are second to none. She is also an excellent colleague who demonstrates leadership, commitment, and drive, in every project she is involved in."

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Josefina Echavarría Alvarez

Director of the Peace Accords Matrix (PAM), University of Notre Dame

"With no exceptions, I hold Liridona and her accomplishments in the highest regard. I have witnessed her growth as a character and as someone deeply invested in her work. Liridona has exceeded my expectations as a passionate academic, as a diligent project assistant, and as a person."

Elani Williams

B.S. in Psychology, Loyola University Chicago

"While collaborating with Liri under the Chicago-Turino project, Liri saw potential in me that I did not see in myself. Even though I had little experience with qualitative coding at the time, Liri gave me many opportunities to get out of my comfort zone and grow as a researcher. Working with Liri and seeing how dedicated, passionate, and efficient she is about her work has created a lasting impact on me and inspired me to push myself further.”

Garreth Mullins

BA in Political Science and Communication Studies; MA in Political Science, Loyola University Chicago

"Being a student of Dr. Veliu Ashiku has been an absolute pleasure. With Dr. Veliu Ashiku at the helm, I have learned about political theory in an environment that has been incredibly enjoyable; the discussions we have had in class have been intensive, thought-provoking exercises. I couldn't have asked for a better professor to discuss ideologies with."

Anna Huber

BA in Sociology, Minor Women Studies and Gender Studies, Loyola University Chicago

"Liri (Dr. Veliu Ashiku) created clear guidelines and goals during the research project I worked on with her. In this experience, Liri pushed me to dig deeper into the sources of segregation and realities of the lived experiences of individuals. With her guidance, I was able to push beyond what I thought I was capable of to a new understanding and capacity of not only the world around me, but my abilities to research it."

Bori Ferra

BA in Political Science, Loyola University Chicago

"Dr. Veliu Ashiku has helped me more than any faculty member I have interacted with at LUC. I enrolled in Professor Veliu Ashiku’s “Political Theory” class, and enjoyed myself so much due to her passionate and interactive teaching style. Professor Veliu Ashiku is a great professor, without question. Beyond that, she made the intimidating task of transferring to a massive four-year institution like LUC smooth and painless."

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Jacob Nelson

MA in Applied Economics Candidate, Georgetown University; Environmental Economist Intern, United Nations Environment Programme

"Working with Dr. Veliu Ashiku was great. Liri led our research project from the front with an unparalleled work ethic. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with and learn so much from her."

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Julie Pavlova

BS in Neuroscience, DePaul University

"Dr. Liridona has made an extraordinary change in my academic and personal journey. She has helped me to better connect with myself in relation to the world at large while fostering a sense of due diligence in my own political and social involvement. Her teaching reflects her passion vividly. I believe she is truly able to be a catalyst for change in any student’s life and I am lucky to have had the chance to collaborate with someone as dedicated as Liri."

Jonathan Nerenberg

BA in Sociology and Urban Studies, Loyola University Chicago

"During my time working with Dr. Veliu Ashiku, I was impressed by her ability to manage a research project with many moving parts and deadlines. Her patience and guidance helped the entire team extract our full collective potential. Liri's deep knowledge of political and social inequality guided the theoretical basis of our research, while her attention to lived experience helped us paint a cohesive social narrative."