My Story
I graduated from a large public high school in Moore, Oklahoma, and I attended Swarthmore College with a whole lot of financial aid. I was the first person in my working-class family to go to college, and coming into an elite, affluent environment like that was a real culture shock. I loved it, but it was never easy — I prided myself on being a very independent person, and it took me a long time to learn how to accept help, let alone ask for it. Now, I serve as the primary dean for 1GLI students, and my advice to them is to connect early and often. That way, when something great happens (you made the dean’s list!) or something challenging occurs (you need to withdraw from a course), we can celebrate or do some problem-solving together. Whenever you’re in the Allen Building, stop by an introduce yourself at 011, in the basement – my door is always open!