Where is your hometown? I am from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Where did you obtain your bachelor’s, and what were your major(s)?
I obtained my bachelor’s here at Ball State University and majored in Psychological Science with minors in Criminal Justice and Criminology, Interpersonal Relations, and Psychology of Human Development
What first interested you in psychology?
It sounds strange, but my grandma and I loved Investigative Discovery growing up and we would try to solve the case by the end of the show. I loved trying to figure out who committed the crime by studying the person’s mannerisms and behavior. I would always question what drives people to do heinous crimes. I then started to wonder how everyone in society is different and question why that is. I took my first psychology class in high school and fell in love with it.
Why did you choose Ball State?
My cousin went to Ball State and my family would come and visit him and I loved the campus. When I took a tour here, I fell in love with it even more. I love the atmosphere here on campus and everyone has always been friendly. I enjoy how big this campus is, but still has a small town feel to it.
What do you think of your experience at Ball State as an MA student so far?
I’ve enjoyed my experience so far! It is of course an overwhelming feeling, but also a gratifying one. Everyone has been super helpful during this transition from undergrad to grad and how to navigate it all. I’m excited for the opportunities ahead in this program and feel like it will really prepare me for my future.
What are your future and career goals?
I currently work at a domestic violence shelter here in Muncie and it has really given me a lot of clarity of what I want to do in the future. I would like to get my LMHC and work with people in vulnerable populations. More specifically, I see myself working with individuals who have been incarcerated and working on rehabilitation. However, I’m open to exploring my options once I get hands-on experience.
What are a few of your favorite hobbies?
I enjoy hanging out with my friends and doing just about anything. We have book reading marathons that we like to do, binge watch TV shows and movies (mostly rom-coms), or going on small road trips and trying something new. I’m especially excited for the Fall because we like to go to Orchard’s and get apple cider and pumpkin donuts.
What food could you not live without?
Anything pasta is my go-to. I could live off mac-and-cheese especially if it’s homemade.
What is your favorite TV show currently?
There are too many TV shows that are considered my favorite. I am currently rewatching One Tree Hill which is my comfort show. I also love The Summer I Turned Pretty and am so excited for season 3 to come out next summer #TeamConrad.
What is something about you that people would be surprised to know?
Something that I think people would be surprised to know is that I love music. I make playlists for anything and everything. I’m always trying to expand the genres I listen to and love getting new songs/artist recommendations.
If you could have dinner with any historic figure, who would it be and why?
I think a historic figure I would have over for dinner would be Jane Austen. I love her books, and she broke the mold of what it means to be a woman especially in that day of age. Being a female writer especially during that time wasn’t viewed as acceptable so I would be curious to ask her what it was like to hide her identity. I would love to hear her thoughts about the social norms of her time, her writing process, and her thoughts on the world as she saw it.