ABOUT ME
I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but spent most of my childhood growing up in South Bend, Indiana. I have an older sister who is a marine biologist and a younger sister who is a senior in high school. I went to a college preparatory high school and was extremely committed to my education. I took numerous college dual credits classes and was able to graduate high school with a technical certificate in core studies from Ivy Tech. Being so dedicated to my studies in high school was difficult, but also very rewarding. I was able to learn study methods which definitely has helped me in college.
I moved to Indianapolis after graduating high school and began college at Indiana University Purdue University- Indianapolis (IUPUI). Moving to a new city by myself not knowing anyone was intimidating, but has allowed for so much personal growth. I have learned how to be independent and chase after my dreams with the support of my family and friends. Living in a city by myself has showed me that you can still feel supported from family and friends despite not living in the same city.
I was accepted into the School of Health and Human Sciences as a freshman and began the Exercise Science curriculum. I have never thought twice about switching my major. At IUPUI, the curriculum is hands-on, challenging, and enjoyable. I have really dove into my studies and have really loved what IUPUI had to offer. I am currently preparing for graduation in May 2020 and have applied to graduate school at IUPUI in Indianapolis.
In my free time, I enjoy going to the gym, rock climbing at Red River Gorge, playing instruments, and spending time outdoors. I love spending time with my big extended family and really enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures.
Personal Summary
The past 6 months have been some of the most eventful, difficult, and intense months of my life. I was involved in a multiple motor vehicle accident three days before the spring semester of my junior year in college. A driver ran a red light, hit my car, and spun my car into a truck. I do not remember most of the next few hours, but I spent eight hours in the emergency room while undergoing many medical examinations.
Since then, I have been on an extremely long and difficult road to recovery. With the help of close to a dozen doctors, I have made slow but steady progress. Although I battled the effects of a severe concussion and whiplash, which included symptoms like migraines, memory loss, severe neck pain, vertigo, nystagmus, among many other things, I did not want to give up on my education. I considered taking a semester off to help with my physical and mental healing. However, I did not want to fall behind in my path of undergraduate education at IUPUI which would eventually leading me to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. I was not going to let this obstacle come in the way of so many of my goals. Despite my physical obstacles, I was able to find the strength and endurance to mentally and physically persevere throughout the semester. I was able to successfully make the Dean’s list for the fourth semester in a row and maintained my academic reputation at IUPUI. Perseverance was a challenging lesson to learn, but I know I am a better person because of this experience.
My application process for the DOT program has been a long on-going journey that has taught me many things. The main thing that I have learned through this process is how to be patient and have a strong work ethic. I began working on my application the same day that it was released in July. I worked endless hours on making sure my application reflected all of my hard work and passion, I turned in my application and then waited. A few weeks after submitting my application, I received an email inviting me to interview with faculty and staff of the program. I was ecstatic and so ready to conquer the next step of reaching my dream. I had my interview and am now in my dream program at IUPUI. I feel so close to my dream of becoming an occupational therapist.