Major: Geography
Minor: Global Studies
Hometown: Aurora, CO
Favorite place on campus
One of my new favorite places on campus is the Academic Grind on the first floor of Oldfather. It is a great place to study, with coffee and snacks. It's also a place I casually run into professors and classmates, where we can chat and grab coffee together.
Why are you studying geography and global studies?
When I first got to UNL I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I thought I should study something that others considered very practical and common. I realized I was terribly unhappy in that major and needed to make a big change. I had taken Human Geography as an ACE and really liked it, so I thought I should explore that interest by taking another Geography course. I soon realized that I loved the subject, changed my major, and I haven't looked back since.
When I changed my major, I was finally able to see a destination at the end of the path. Because of that, I was interested in adding a minor and I chose Global Studies. Later on, I even considered adding another minor, but decided to graduate early instead.
In all honesty, I have loved every single Geography class I have taken. If I had to name my favorites, I would say GEOG 217 (Principals of GIS), GEOG 370 (Geography of Nebraska), GEOG 380 (Geography of Africa), and GEOG 441 (Geographies of Health). Geography has a wide range of class types, so there is definitely something for everyone. If you are exploring different majors, I highly recommend one of these classes to introduce you to the program! One class can make a huge difference, it did for me and I couldn't have made a better decision by becoming a Geography major.
Tell us about your campus involvement.
Throughout my collegiate career, I have been involved in many things on campus. I was in a learning community freshman year which was an amazing way to meet people and make UNL feel smaller. I have also been involved in The Big Event on the Operations Staff, Dance Marathon, College of Arts and Sciences Student Advisory Board, College of Arts and Sciences Ambassadors, Phi Mu, and I am currently the president of Geography Student Organization/Gamma Theta Upsilon.
During the spring of my sophomore year, I did an internship on campus under Dr. Becky Buller with the Geography Program. This was an incredible experience that allowed me to interact and network with all of the Geography faculty members as well as some faculty throughout SGIS and CAS. It was also special because I got to work for the program that I have really come to love and has changed my life course.
I have also had a handful of jobs, both on- and off-campus. The most impactful, however, has been being an after-school leader at a local elementary school.
Starting in June 2021 I became a transportation planning intern at Olsson and continued the internship through my last semester of undergrad.
Many of these experiences really came to me rather than me seeking them out. I love opportunities and I love saying "yes" to anything I can. Ultimately, I believe it is really important to get involved on campus and take advantage of any opportunity that you come across.
Post-graduation plans
After I graduate in December, I will be an Assistant Transportation Planner at Olsson and I will be moving to Colorado to help grow the company's footprint along the Front Range.
