About Me

My collegiate career began, as it does for many students, with orientation. During orientation, I vividly remember deciding which sessions I should attend during the “free time” between lunch and scheduling classes. My best friend and I decided to go to a session about Hall Council and Student Government because nothing else really sounded exciting. It was in this session that I knew I had found something I would do throughout my undergraduate career.

Following move-in, I ran for and served on my hall’s council. Through this experience, I connected with various mentors who shaped my experiences and opportunities immensely. During that first year, I was initiated into the National Residence Hall Honorary and immediately elected into the National Communications Coordinator position, which I held until I graduated. From those experiences, I had found a strong passion for student affairs and began looking at it as a possible career choice.

During my junior year, I was a Resident Assistant in my building. The year after, I was the Undergraduate Assistant Hall Director for the same building. These two roles solidified that I wanted to do this work after graduation, and following conversations with several mentor figures, I applied and was accepted into Kansas State University’s Counseling and Student Development program. Shortly after, I applied for the Assistant Coordinator for Departmental Initiatives graduate assistantship, interviewed for the position, and was offered the role in the Honors House on K-State’s campus.

Moving across the country for graduate school was certainly a choice, one that my family might not have fully understood. However, after spending three days on campus for interviews, I knew that K-State was something special and that I needed to be there.

So here we are, four years and a degree and a half later. As I finish up coursework for my PhD, I often find myself reflecting on the path that led me here. What opportunities I’ve had, who I’ve had the ability to work with, and the impact I’ve been able to have on students are the most common thoughts that come to mind. A quote that I’ve included in most personal statements I’ve written is from Bishop T.D. Jakes that I feel summarizes the journey that brought me here:

Student Development and Mentorship (Observe)

Growth doesn't happen in a vacuum, and neither does mentorship. Before I can mentor or help someone develop, I must know them. I need to understand their strengths, their weaknesses, and what they might only communicate through body language. My mentoring/advising relationships start here by observing students and meeting them where they are instead of where I might assume them to be.

Community Building (Listen)

The phrase "it takes a village" resonates strongly with me and the work I do. Students need a community to lean on when life happens, and community only works if people feel truly heard. As a professional in the field, it's my job to not only encourage connection, but actively foster it, whether that's planning and facilitating large-scale connection events (like Activities Carnival) or meeting one-on-one with students to catch up and give them a safe space to share.

Reflection and Growth (Learn)

Hand-in-hand with observing and listening, growth depends on staying open to what each interaction teaches. There is plenty of research highlighting the importance of fostering a sense of belonging for students, particularly the positive relationship between it and success (both academic and personal). As a professional, I take that seriously: every student and every conversation adds to my understanding of how to help people succeed.

NASPA Region IV-West SERVE Academy

Selected Participant, 2026–2027

Selected for the 7th Cohort of NASPA Region IV-West's SERVE Academy, a regional leadership development program focused on professional growth, volunteer leadership, and engagement within NASPA. Through monthly cohort meetings, mentor debriefs, and a year-long mentoring relationship, I am developing my understanding of professional association leadership while expanding my network of student affairs professionals across career levels.

Mentor: Sylvia Jauregui, Senior Residence Hall Coordinator, University of Missouri