What college/university will you be graduating from?
Western Oregon University
Majoring in….
Gerontology and Spanish
What was your motivation for deciding your major(s)?
I chose a Spanish major because I grew up going to a dual immersion Spanish program K-12 and wanted to keep speaking Spanish. This course of study has provided me with a broad appreciation of Spanish-speaking cultures, from art and literature to linguistics and politics. Because of the many Spanish medium classes I have taken, I am constantly fascinated by it.
Gerontology was the major I chose when I started thinking about what I wanted to do after college. My Gerontology major has set me up to think holistically about the needs of older adults and how I can best work with and on the behalf of older adults. The older people in my community, and especially my church, have always been an important part of my life and they are absolutely part of what called me in this direction.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Five years from now I see myself as an engaged member of my community. I hope to be enjoying the work that I do and finding meaningful pursuits outside of vocation as well.
What advice would you give the Freshman year version of yourself?
It’s okay not to have everything figured out. Ask questions and talk to people. Things will work out.
If you had a talk show, who would your first three guests be?
My first three guests on my talk show would be AOC, Bob Dylan, and Hannah Gadsby.
How has your vision of the future been enhanced by your time in the Leadership Fellowship?
HELM has given me the chance to go places and do things I never would have done on my own and it has reinforced what I believe is important about the church. My vision of what is important to me now and in my future has been shaped by the values HELM has given me. HELM made a point to emphasize the local and the universal issues of every place we traveled to, highlighting injustice and the work that was being done to combat it. That frame of looking at the world is something that I will carry with me.