What is your background?: I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago in a town called Aurora, Illinois. I attended three separate high schools, two of them in Aurora and one in Connecticut: West Aurora High School, Rosary College Preparatory, and Valley Regional High School. I moved to Connecticut by myself when I was 17, where I finished my high school career before attending the University of Hartford for three semesters. I have four biological brothers, one adopted brother, four step brothers, and four step sisters!
What brought you to Kirkwood and why?: I moved to Iowa with the hopes of eventually attending the University of Iowa, and Kirkwood was a great first stop for multiple reasons! Kirkwood was affordable and also allowed me the flexibility my schedule demanded as a single parent to a three-year-old while also working full-time. My best friend of 20+ years lives in Coralville, so we chose Iowa to be close to her!
What is your program of study and what interests you about it?: I’m currently studying English and Secondary Education. I had previously taught preschool, and as much as I loved that age group, I felt as though high school students needed me more and would be more fulfilling for me personally. I’ve always enjoyed seeing perspectives that I would otherwise not be exposed to, and in educating high school students through literature and composition, I believe I will experience that the most! In my experience, English teachers are able to hold discussions in a classroom that are life changing, and I hope to someday be able to facilitate that with my future students.
Are you involved in anything on campus?: Unfortunately, my schedule doesn’t allow for me to be involved in anything at Kirkwood. Given the opportunity, I would have loved to be involved in the theatre program or volunteer in some way with their food pantry!
Are you involved in anything off campus?: I coach my daughter’s soccer team, the Red Fire. I’ve also been helping my best friend in starting a chapter of Operation Snowball in the area. Operation Snowball is a drug and alcohol prevention group for high school aged students that focuses on teen leadership and community building and outreach!
What do you do for fun?: I enjoy being outdoors and traveling! It’s always amazing to see new places and discover activities I never would have thought to do before. I also enjoy running and swimming, as I swam for my high school teams as well as my collegiate team before they disbanded the program due to COVID. I’m also an avid reader and just finished Virginia Giuffre’s Memoir “Nobody’s Girl”, which I would highly recommend. Other than that, I enjoy spending time with my daughter, Margot, and my boyfriend, Logan. They make every day better and I’m grateful to have them to go on adventures with!
Where do you see yourself in five years?: In five years, I will have hopefully completed my Masters Degree in English and Education. I would love to be teaching in a high school classroom either in my hometown of Aurora, or somewhere in the New England area. I also hope to have completed a marathon within the next five years as well!