At 3:30pm on November 25th, 1983 a 7lb 11oz, 21 inch chonker entered the world at Hollywood Memorial Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. I actually do not have a whole lot of memories of my childhood other than to say that I came from a household whose parents were divorced when I was 3 years old. I was surrounded by unconditional love from my mother, my brother and my grandparents. My father was never really a fatherly figure in my life and though his physical existence in my life was nominal, his negative actions in my life would play a huge role in who I am today. His addiction to alcohol and propensity for violence has always made me very aware of my actions in the world.
After a family related situation, a decision was made that affected my family and would change the entire course of my life...,we moved to Maryville, Tennessee when I was 7 years old. This was probably one of the best decisions that has ever been made because this decision led to many fruitful opportunities for myself. Continuing to be surrounded by my mother, my brother and my grandparents, I enjoyed a normal life in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This led me to joining the Boy Scouts of America and the Order of the Arrow which greatly shaped my childhood and followed me into who I am today. I also got a first hand opportunity to see my mother work hard to go to school and work a full time job to make sure my brother and I had everything we needed to survive. My mom is one of my biggest heroes because despite all odds she protected my brother and I and taught us values that have guided me throughout my life.
The Boy Scouts of America and the Order of the Arrow taught me to be loyal, honest, empathetic and passionate. It also instilled in me a strong work ethic. I would definitely say that my moral compass has been guided by the experiences that I had while in the Boy Scouts and has developed a lot of the values that I focus on today.
While in 5th grade, my mother remarried an amazing person. He entered my life and was the father figure that I did not really have as a child. He taught me a lot about patience, loyalty, and hard work. I went on to high school and eventually decided to attend Maryville College for my college experience. In my five years at Maryville College I had the opportunity to fall in love with Housing and Residence Life. Serving as an RA, an intern for Residence Life, President of RHA/NRHH, President of TACURH/TARH (Tennessee Association of Residence Halls), the Regional Director for SAACURH (South-Atlantic Affiliate) and on the Board of Directors for NACURH, Inc (National Association of College and University Residence Halls) let me see many different view points and reflect on the true importance of Residence Life. I choose to move to Maine to explore the world of Housing from a professional standpoint. While in Maine, I had a lot of wonderful opportunities to develop myself, including figuring out who I am.
I came out during my time in Maine and for the first time I was able to truly live my truth and be 100% me. It is rough living a lie, especially once that is so ingrained in who you are, especially when all of the values that I have come to believe involved honesty, integrity, and trying to do the greatest possible good. That is why I think I have truly found a passion in working in Residence Life and with college students, because this is the time when they can truly discover what their values are, what they believe in, who they are and what mark they are going to leave on the world. I believe strongly for advocating for those who are victims of addiction, assault and bullying/discrimination and I like helping people discover their potential to make a difference in the world.
Throughout my entire life, whether it be as a student at Maryville College, a part-time Residence Life Coordinator at Maryville College or in between jobs, I have always worked in the restaurant industry. I worked at Uno Chicago Bar and Grill, Bridgeview Grill, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen and Applebee's Grill and Bar. These experiences have definitely given me a passion for customer service and making sure that guests are always taken care of. This lesson can also be applied to work in Higher Education as well.
In any role that I take, I feel it is always important to be a strong listener and to help other people. I have been blessed throughout my life with wonderful mentors and role models who have helped me and I always want to have the opportunity to give back and help someone else out.
After a family related situation, a decision was made that affected my family and would change the entire course of my life...,we moved to Maryville, Tennessee when I was 7 years old. This was probably one of the best decisions that has ever been made because this decision led to many fruitful opportunities for myself. Continuing to be surrounded by my mother, my brother and my grandparents, I enjoyed a normal life in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This led me to joining the Boy Scouts of America and the Order of the Arrow which greatly shaped my childhood and followed me into who I am today. I also got a first hand opportunity to see my mother work hard to go to school and work a full time job to make sure my brother and I had everything we needed to survive. My mom is one of my biggest heroes because despite all odds she protected my brother and I and taught us values that have guided me throughout my life.
The Boy Scouts of America and the Order of the Arrow taught me to be loyal, honest, empathetic and passionate. It also instilled in me a strong work ethic. I would definitely say that my moral compass has been guided by the experiences that I had while in the Boy Scouts and has developed a lot of the values that I focus on today.
While in 5th grade, my mother remarried an amazing person. He entered my life and was the father figure that I did not really have as a child. He taught me a lot about patience, loyalty, and hard work. I went on to high school and eventually decided to attend Maryville College for my college experience. In my five years at Maryville College I had the opportunity to fall in love with Housing and Residence Life. Serving as an RA, an intern for Residence Life, President of RHA/NRHH, President of TACURH/TARH (Tennessee Association of Residence Halls), the Regional Director for SAACURH (South-Atlantic Affiliate) and on the Board of Directors for NACURH, Inc (National Association of College and University Residence Halls) let me see many different view points and reflect on the true importance of Residence Life. I choose to move to Maine to explore the world of Housing from a professional standpoint. While in Maine, I had a lot of wonderful opportunities to develop myself, including figuring out who I am.
I came out during my time in Maine and for the first time I was able to truly live my truth and be 100% me. It is rough living a lie, especially once that is so ingrained in who you are, especially when all of the values that I have come to believe involved honesty, integrity, and trying to do the greatest possible good. That is why I think I have truly found a passion in working in Residence Life and with college students, because this is the time when they can truly discover what their values are, what they believe in, who they are and what mark they are going to leave on the world. I believe strongly for advocating for those who are victims of addiction, assault and bullying/discrimination and I like helping people discover their potential to make a difference in the world.
Throughout my entire life, whether it be as a student at Maryville College, a part-time Residence Life Coordinator at Maryville College or in between jobs, I have always worked in the restaurant industry. I worked at Uno Chicago Bar and Grill, Bridgeview Grill, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen and Applebee's Grill and Bar. These experiences have definitely given me a passion for customer service and making sure that guests are always taken care of. This lesson can also be applied to work in Higher Education as well.
In any role that I take, I feel it is always important to be a strong listener and to help other people. I have been blessed throughout my life with wonderful mentors and role models who have helped me and I always want to have the opportunity to give back and help someone else out.