Major: Women's and Gender Studies
Minors: Communication Studies, English, LGBTQ+ Studies, Spanish
Year in school: Senior
Hometown: Kearney, NE
Why did you select your major and minors?
I came into college on the pre-law track with a major in Communications Studies and no idea that a WGS major and minor even existed. I took an intro to women's literature class my freshman year and absolutely fell in love and felt a spark for my studies that I hadn't felt yet. After that, I researched how I could study WGS and added a minor in it. My professor for this class, Dr. Bernardini, was instrumental in this journey. Throughout the next couple of semesters, I changed my majors and minors often until I found what I was happiest with.
Favorite course
My favorite course has been one that is actually not listed under WGS or any of my minors; it's an honors seminar titled "The Great American City: From Injustice to Inclusion." The reason this class has been my favorite is because it made me realize, during my freshman year, that everything I study influences every part of life, even infrastructure and inequality in how people navigate the world.
Who have been some of your strongest mentors or role models here?
Jacob Schlange, Caterina Bernardini, Rose Holz
Research experience
My sophomore year I was a Learning Assistant for UHON 189H (The Great American City class I mentioned), and I got to do research on queer and safe spaces for the lesson I gave.
Internship or job
I had a communications internship with Foster Care Closet my freshman year, where I got to use my Communications and English minor most directly, but I also apply intersectionality to everything I do, which I learned from WGS. I currently work as a Projects and Events Coordinator for a local nonprofit, Cause Collective, where I am applying the same things -- I will say I've gotten a lot better at it since freshman year!
Study abroad
I studied abroad during the Spring 2025 semester in Heredia, Costa Rica, where I studied Spanish and psychology. It sounds cliché, but this was a truly life-changing experience where I learned so much Spanish and a lot about myself. It was the happiest period of my life, during which I was able to grow the most in the span of a few months.
Involvement
Husker Vote Coalition, Honors Program, Peace Corps Prep, Thomson Scholars
Plans after graduation
I plan to move abroad, but the exact plans are up in the air right now.
