My professional journey wasn’t linear. After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University, I felt like I was in Iimbo. I was surrounded by women in my family who were teachers—and initially—I avoided this career path. I majored in journalism and sought a career in public relations and broadcast journalism. But because I was unsure of where to go next or if journalism was the right choice for me, I found my way back to SEED—back to the community that helped me grow.
A recent college graduate, I had the opportunity to give back to SEED while further exploring my next step. SEED was the bridge to my career. I served as a resident advisor, and I helped with the college connect course (designed to help juniors and seniors prepare for their post-secondary futures) before moving to Korea and then Texas. While traveling to other states and countries, my path continued to lead me to children centered careers—working at a child development center, assisting in a special education classroom, and then serving as a first-grade teacher.
I began to appreciate and understand the importance of teachers. As a teacher, I would have the ability to help build the foundation for our next generation of leaders. I knew that if I made certain that my students enjoyed their time with me—if they received everything that they needed at this critical stage in their development—they would go far in life.
Today, I have been working as a teacher for over 10 years. I recently received a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree, and I am on the path to being a leader in education. But I didn’t get here alone. My entire seven years at SEED helped to lay the groundwork. I specifically remember my senior year at SEED—touring right-fit colleges and universities across the country, speaking to college representatives that visited SEED, being assigned a senior mentor that guided me through my entire senior year (teacher recommendations, SAT prep and testing, college essays, etc.), applying for scholarships that would alleviate the financial burden of college, and receiving The SEED Foundation Scholarship. With the support of my SEED counselor and family, I chose to enroll at Ohio Wesleyan, and I had an amazing experience. I received constant encouragement while in college from my SEED family and in 2010, I graduated debt-free.
My experiences at SEED helped to shape me and have guided me to this point. SEED is my family—and I am forever grateful for their partnership and belief in me.