About Me
Since I was in Kindergarten, I knew I wanted to work with animals. My mom has an “All About Me” poster that I made to prove it. In the future career section, I had my teacher write “veterinarian” because, at the time, that was the only job that I knew worked with animals. As I got older, though my career goals fluctuated and evolved, my passion for animals never changed.
This love for animals also drove my passion for education. My parents always encouraged me to seek out learning opportunity that came my way.
Scroll to learn more about the different experiences I have had as a result of my passion for animals and education.
YAP K-9
When I was in 6th grade, the Dean of Students walked into my classroom and told us to sign up for enrichment activities for the year. I remember reading the descriptions for the programs and seeing the Youth Ambassador K9 Career (YAP) program (run by the Tails of Hope Foundation) listed. I do not remember much about the description except seeing the word “dog” appearing multiple times. That was enough for my 10-year-old brain to make my decision. I signed up for YAP for all three trimesters.
The YAP program’s mission is to educate youth about working dogs to advance and secure the future of this critical field through mentoring, career, and volunteer opportunities and raising awareness of the importance of sustaining the purebred breeds that perform these essential services. I met various individuals within the “working dog” field through my involvement with the program, primarily top-level professional working dog teams. As a member of this program, I was even able to attend and participate in a conference with President Obama’s high-level national security staff to discuss my experiences with the program in June of 2014. Now I serve on the YAP National Advisory Board, where I help plan events and develop new initiatives for the program. My involvement with YAP helped me strengthen my determination to have a career working with animals, showed me the benefits of teaching students about animal welfare, helped lay my foundations in the field of animal science, and strengthened my love for animals.
Hartford Youth Scholars
When I was in middle school, I was introduced to Hartford Youth Scholars (HYS). My older cousin had already completed HYS' Stepping Stones program (now titled the Collegiate Academy). My parents wanted to my brother and I to join. I applied and was accepted into the program's 8th Cohort.
The Stepping Stones (The Collegiate Academy) program is a 26-month academic enrichment program, serving middle school students from Hartford. Students are provided with a wide curriculum that covers middle and high school classes as well as university course content. The program supports students' education Math, Science, Literature, History, and Spanish by providing small classrooms, dedicated faculty, and exposure to academic content that students may not receive at their home institutions. The HYS program supports is scholars beyond their graduation of the Collegiate Academy program. They work with scholars all the way to college and beyond. HYS provided me with the tools to navigate the private school and college admission process. I was also able to have experiences like meeting Brandon McGee Jr., have dinner at the Hartford Stage before seeing the production "Kiss Me Kate", and appear on Hartford Access TV.
Ethel Walker School (EWS)
As a member of the HYS program, I wrote a research paper comparing public school systems to private schools (East Hartford High vs. Ethel Walker School). While doing my research, I fell in love with the Ethel Walker School. Through my hard work and dedication at HYS, I received a full scholarship to attend Ethel Walker (EWS).
At EWS, I was able to feed my love of learning and have various enriching experiences. I was able to join the robotics team (The Wirecats), compete with the varsity Cross Country team, and become a member (and eventually a head) of a wide range of clubs. I was able to take courses in a wide range of subjects including Latin, Equine Science, and Advanced Psychology. I was also able to start working with the Horizons at the Ethel Walker School program. The mission of Horizons at The Ethel Walker School is to help girls from under-served communities in Hartford, CT, to improve their educational outcomes. Since the summer of 2016, I have worked with the program in a variety of roles including as a Teaching Assistant, Assistant Kindergarten Teacher, Volunteer Coordinator, and Lower Elementary STEAM Teacher.
Cornell University SCE Pre-College Program
When I came to Ethel, I continued to nurse my love for animals. During one Family Weekend, my parents and I met with Dr. Piela, my class advisor. When I told her about my passion, she suggested applying to a summer college program for high school students. I applied to the Cornell University summer college program with the help of HYS. She received a scholarship to attend during both Summer 2017 and Summer 2018. There I studied both Animal Husbandry and Public Health. These courses fueled my interest in Animal Science and introduced me to the application of Animal Science outside of Veterinary Medicine.
University of Connecticut (UConn)
In December 2018, I found out that I was accepted into the University of Connecticut (UConn) and received the Day of Pride Scholarship, meaning that I received a full scholarship to the University. Initially I applied into the Animal Science program. By the time I was a senior at UConn, I would add a second degree in Applied and Resource Economics (cont. Business Management and Marketing), and two minors in Equine Business Mangement and Therpeutic Horsemanship Education. Currently I am a Masters of Social Work (MSW) student with a concentration in Individuals, Groups, and Families.
One of my favorite aspects of my time at UConn was working with at the Innovation Zone (iZone). At the iZone, I was able to utilize the technical skills that I developed on the Wirecats whilst working with members of the UConn community. At the iZone, I was able to train UConn students on the various equipment located in the iZone. However, I am most proud of planning and running the Women in Making Forum. The Women in Making Forum seeks to highlight and celebrate how women find success within the maker movement. The Women in Making Forum has various in-person Skillshare sessions as well as panel discusions that higlight various issues facing women and making.
