How do you help students discover their best path?

Try everything! One of the great things about a liberal arts education and about LSA in particular, is that you have time and space to explore a lot of different things! While there can be a lot of pressure to know what you want to do with your life in the first year of college, the reality is that you don't. You should take a lot of different classes in areas that are interesting to you and then decide what you want pursue. Even then, there is time and space to shift focus.

What’s one experience outside the classroom that shaped who you are today?

During my first year of college I felt really lost and alone. I was going to school a long way from my family and really questioned whether I had chosen the right college. A faculty member who taught my Intro Public Speaking class, noticed that I was struggling and sought me to out to make sure I was ok. He saw that what I really needed was an extra level of academic challenge and something to do outside of the classroom. This led to him taking me on as his research assistant, which was an experience that changed my life. Not only did this make it easier for me to find my place as an undergraduate, but it directly led me to pursuing graduate school and additional research opportunities.

What’s something you struggled with as a student, and what helped you in that situation?

I was a really high achiever in high school and college, so I held myself to really exacting standards. While this is not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, it can lead to a lot of self doubt, self criticism, and imposter syndrome in certain situations. I learned that it was really important to take advantage of the resources available to me and reach out to my support network when feeling this way. The reality is that most college students feel this way at one time or another but that college is supposed to be a place of inquiry, of figuring things out and asking questions, you don't need to have everything figured out.

Have you experienced “culture shock” when traveling to or living in a new place? What helped you navigate that experience and what did you ultimately learn from it? 

I actually experienced the most culture shock when I moved back to the United States for college after growing up overseas. Everything seemed different and weird and I felt really isolated and homesick. What really helped me was forcing myself outside of my comfort zone, intentionally seeking out social opportunities, clubs, and groups to kind if immerse myself in the culture. This was all before iPhones, Zoom, and virtual everything so I think it has become even easier when in a new place to close yourself off, but I think it is still really important to seek out these opportunities for genuine human connection.