What is your advising philosophy? I think of the role of advisors like the bumpers on a bowling lane. It's our job to support students when they need it at any point on their journey toward their goals. We're here to keep students on track and provide a bit of advice here and there, but ultimately it's their choice to decide where to throw the ball down the lane and what spin to put on it. There's no one right way to knock down the pins and that's the fun of it all.

What was your path to Newnan? After completing my undergraduate degree I came straight to UM to pursue a Master's in Higher Education. I started as a General Advisor in the office and grew to love working closely with undergraduate students. I also continued to develop my skills and enjoyment of large and small-scale student communication and engagement efforts. I transitioned to the role of Coordinator for Advising Communication and Engagement and eventually applied for my current position as Associate Director. I couldn't be happier to continue growing and learning at Newnan while still staying close to my first professional roots in advising.

What do you enjoy about working in Newnan? Our students are incredible! It's great to see each of them navigating UM in their own special way. I've learned something new every day be it directly from one of our students or because of an experience others have had working with them. The office community is also wonderful. It's nice to know that the people here truly care about supporting students and supporting each other.  

Class you loved and why? Harry Potter: Literary Allusion, Popular Culture, and Children's Literature.

This course took an in-depth look at the Harry Potter series examining its roots in classic literature, its cultural significance, as well as the literary and theatrical fandoms. The course culminated with a study abroad trip to London and Oxford, UK to explore filming locations for the movies as well as inspiration sites for J.K. Rowling and other famous literary figures.

Interests and hobbies: I love spending time with family and friends, watching Youtube and television (especially reality competition shows), scrolling Reddit, and attending sporting events and concerts!