When I look back at every goal and vision that I’ve had, I always find that each one has the same thing in common – experience. One might think that’s an odd common denominator, but if you really think about it, life is just one big experience. Whether you succeed or fail, you at least had the experience to do so. My experiences have led me down a path that landed me in a place in life where I strive to know more and grow at every opportunity.

This leads me to my first major experience – graduating from Ball State University with a B.S. in Public Relations. Ball State allowed me to have a full gamut of experiences. I got involved in an immersive learning program in Budapest, Hungary, I joined Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity and most importantly, I completed an internship at Little Red Door Cancer Agency. I didn’t know it at the time, but that internship changed the course of my career.

Little Red Door had lit a fire in me that I can only describe as my life’s calling – to help people, to help my community and to make a change. By working at Hamilton East Public Library as an Online Communications Coordinator, I was able to satisfy my passions.

I became hungry for more experiences, so I enrolled in the Communications Master program at Syracuse University. At Syracuse, I learned more strategy and ways to communicate effectively through design, web and social media.

Through all the above mentioned professional experiences, I also had amazing personal experiences. At Ball State I learned to love running (a hobby I still hate to love) and I experienced traveling and learning about different cultures. At Hamilton East Public Library I learned to love reading, and not just fiction novels, but the nonfiction books as well. At Syracuse I experienced balance and time management, which I achieved with large quantities of coffee and a great support system. All these unique experiences summarize the most authentic version of myself.