I am originally from Lawrence, Kansas, where I attended the University of Kansas (KU) for undergrad, majoring in English with a minor in Education Studies. After working professionally for a few years as an administrative assistant, I decided to pursue my master's degree in Higher Education & Student Affairs at Clemson University in South Carolina. I now work at the Pomerantz Career Center (PCC) here at Iowa. Although not a first-gen college student myself, I experienced a difficult transition to college initially as a low-income commuter student who also worked part-time to help afford tuition. My path through college was not always "traditional" (for example, I didn't step foot into a residence hall until graduate school!), and although I faced challenges at the time, I'm really grateful for the perspectives I gained while at KU. Having a less-than-ideal adjustment to college is partly what inspired me to go into higher education in the first place (the other part was meeting great staff members on my campus). Because of my own college experience, I am really passionate about assisting students in their transition to college, supporting them as they navigate their individual journeys, and encouraging them toward personal success! Work is not everything, so outside of my job you can find me going for a walk or bike ride, reading, journaling, engaging in theatre/arts/musical/cultural events in the area, playing Nintendo Switch, baking, and spending time with family, friends, and my two cats.