Major: History/MAE Secondary Education
Class of 2021/2022
Hometown: Seattle, Washington

Why did you choose history as your major?

I chose to study history because it is fascinating to learn about the world through multiple perspectives, and there are many interesting and mind-boggling stories in history that explain how this crazy world works. I am also studying to get my MAE in Secondary Education because my ultimate goal is to be a history teacher. I want to inspire my students with stories of the past and to become informed members of their communities. Ultimately, I want to help people, and a good teacher can be a positive influence in many lives.

What Truman classes have been your favorites and why?

One of my favorite Truman classes was History 438 Rights, Resistance, and Race. I loved this class because we compared multiple revolutions in history, starting with the American, then the French, and finally the Haitian. We also read a lot of interesting books and primary sources. However, my favorite part about this course was being able to write a song for part of my final exam. This made the material I was learning fun to analyze and write about because songwriting is one of my favorite hobbies.

What are the biggest take-aways that will follow you beyond Truman?

I have really grown as a person over my semesters at Truman. I started out as a shy freshman who rarely said anything in class or did anything extra on campus. Sophomore year wasn’t any better. However, I started to appreciate and enjoy college when I was encouraged by my professors and peers to try new things. New things can be scary or intimidating, but I have become a better person for “ripping off the Band-Aid” and living a little. Thus, one of my biggest take-aways is to not be afraid to try new things or to talk to new people. Another take-away I have is to not be afraid to ask for help. College is hard. It is supposed to be hard, but we are not in it alone. Many of my professors and peers have really helped me get through academic problems and personal problems when they have arisen. I am very grateful for all of the support.