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I am from Myersville, in Frederick County, so I’ve lived quite close to campus for my whole life. Before college, I attended Middletown High School and did a lot of work in the theatre program. I was on the sound crew and did a little bit of acting. In the community, I performed with Endangered Species Theatre and Riotous Youth. Riotous Youth is a group that gives middle and high schoolers the opportunity to learn about Shakespeare and to perform his plays. It was an incredibly influential experience for me as an actor.

I applied to Hood College after it was recommended to me by a student who attended. Otherwise, I would have never considered it because Hood is a private school. I thought the campus was beautiful, and I loved the appeal of a small school that was still close to home. Before going to college, I knew that I wanted to major in biology, and after taking a Jane Austen class in my sophomore year, I decided to also major in English. I love both subjects, and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to study both while I was here.

I could not attend Hood College without the Chair of the Board Scholarship. This scholarship has given me the opportunity to get an education here as well as live on campus. Living on campus has really impacted my college experience and allowed me to make close friendships with roommates and friends in my majors. The scholarship has changed my life. I am so incredibly grateful to be a recipient.

The nature of double-majoring was probably the most difficult thing. I had a lot of classes to take and a lot of exams, essays and projects that took a huge portion of my time and energy. I had to improve my time management skills, study skills and work on my personal mental health. I am really glad I double majored and that I studied the subjects I am so passionate about, but it was also a goal that required a lot of effort.

I am most proud of my Departmental Honors projects. I was invited to do projects for both biology and English, and I decided to challenge myself and complete both projects. For my biology project, I worked with two other students to examine papillomavirus in African lions, and my English thesis discussed the relationships between fathers and sons in Shakespeare's history plays. It was a lot to take on but I feel really good about the final products I produced and I’m grateful for the experience I was able to gain, especially since my projects were so research based.

I am going to take a gap year to look at career prospects. In the long term, I want to go to graduate school, but first, I want to be sure about the career path I want so my investment in further education is worth it. I’m looking forward to the break, and I am also excited to see what the future will bring!

I would tell new students that it’s incredibly important to learn to adapt to change. A lot can happen in four years, and I am a very different person than I was in my freshman year. Change can be scary, but it can also be good.