Majors: Biochemistry, Spanish
Minors: Chemistry, Math
Hometown: Elkhorn, Nebraska
Why did you apply to be a NSE leader?
I applied to be an NSE leader because I thought that stories of my first year experience and beyond would be helpful in making new students feel more comfortable throughout their transition to college and best set them up for success.I figured that my struggles are not singular, and that they would resonate with a large amount of incoming freshman. Additionally, I knew a few people that had been orientation leaders before me, and I always admired their levels of enthusiasm for the university, and I always hoped that one day I would be able to emulate those sentiments and represent our university in a similar way. Now, as we have already started preparing for the summer, I do not think that I have ever been more suited for a position in my life, and I am extremely excited to get things started!
Name a person who has helped you be successful at Nebraska and how:
An individual that has played an integral role in my success at UNL has been my academic advisor, Erin Sayer. As a Pre-Medicine student, there is a great deal of checkpoints that you must cross off of your to-do list throughout your undergraduate career. Erin has put in a great deal of effort to get to know me as a person, and she has used that personal knowledge to help me create the most realistic and personally fulfilling path to achieve these goals. More than that, she does not sugar coat anything, and she tells me things exactly as they are--debunking myths of medical school, assuring me that there are a thousand different paths to get there, and easing the anxiety/stress of the process as best as she can.
When you tell people you attend the University of Nebraska, how do you describe your school?
In describing the University of Nebraska Lincoln to someone, I would plainly say that it is full of opportunity. I think that this rings true for any university, but Nebraska is special in that its students develop a sense of Grit--as our branding explains. I full heartedly believe that UNL brings out the best in every student in helping them develop a sense of independence/individual thought that no other campus could. The expectations are high for all of our students, and one truly must put in the work if they want to exceed them. Essentially, you get out of the experience depending on what you put into it... With that said, once you decide to embark on becoming the best that you can be, the university provides every sort of aid that you could possibly think of to help you get there.
What does being a Husker mean to you?
Being a Husker to me means having the opportunity to make you life bigger than yourself... whether that be breaking cultural barriers, exploring another language, educating others about the LGBTQA+ community, or learning something new myself, it is obvious that we are our own community of individuals that are supporting the goodness of each other as a whole.
What is one action (or a few) thatyou have taken to connect on campus?
When it comes to getting connected, my natural instinct is to get involved. That is how I have met nearly all of may friends up to this point, some whom I will probably have in my life beyond my undergraduate experience because of our shared common interests.
Involvement
Association of Students of the University of Nebraska - Senate & Diversity/Inclusion Committee, Swim Club, Prevent, Dance Marathon--Staff & Family Representative, Nebraska Human Resources Institute--Leadership Mentoring, Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) Fraternity, Abel Hall Government.
Tell us about one experience that you have had that has been memorable or impactful on your college experience.
The most memorable experience that I have had at UNL so far has been my "coming out" as gay experience. I was very nervous in revealing my true identity as I entereda new environment, but decided that it needed to happen during my first semester of freshman year. In doing so, all of my overwhelming fear made me expect a bunch of backlash and disappointment from those that I had already started forming all of these new relationships with, but, to my surprise, I received a great deal of support upon making the announcement. All of those moments combined made me feel more comfortable at the university than anything possibly could have... being accepted for who I am. It was then that I realized that UNL was extremely welcoming of diversity, and that everyone wanted to see me succeed despite my personal background.
"The best thing about Nebraska is ____."
The best thing about Nebraska is the "midwestern" sense of welcoming/meeting new people. No matter what time of day it is, WHAT day it is, I can always expect to see a multitude of smiles and waves as I near my destination. I literally can't remember the last day that I walked to a class without being greeted by a close friend, role model, or acquaintance.
Best advice to a new college student
The best advice that I could give to a prospective student would simply be to reach out no matter the situation... having trouble making new friends? Join a club that sounds interesting to you! Feeling overwhelmed academically? Make an appointment with an Academic Success Coach! Perhaps you're feeling overly sad or homesick? Check out the services at CAPS! Whatever it may be, know that you are not alone. There are 25,000+ other people on this campus... it is likely that someone has felt/experienced something similar, and there are a multitude of ways/resources full of people that that would be more than happy to help you out!
Favorite ice cream flavor
FROZEN YOGURT--Anything fruity!
Favorite binge-worthy TV show
Schitts Creek or RuPaul's Drag Race
