I was born and raised here in Middlebury , so I never thought the college I would attend would be in my own backyard. Choosing Middlebury was one of the best decisions I ever made, though, because it provided the perfect balance of academics, athletics and community for me. I played varsity field hockey and lacrosse and helped bring home two NCAA championships during my four years. The championships were amazing, but it's the memories of practices, games and friendships with teammates, coaches, and staff that really made my experience invaluable. 

Middlebury's liberal arts curriculum allowed me to sample all kinds of subjects to figure out what I wanted to do. I took classes in areas I knew little about, such as music, geology, ecology, religion and poetry, before I finally declared my major in neuroscience. I developed personal relationships with my professors and they really cared about my life outside the classroom. They would come to my games and cheer us on. Similarly, my coaches would talk to me about classes and my academic life. I felt truly appreciated as a whole person with a variety of interests. I was able to do it all.

I had always wanted to do a semester abroad during college, but my athletic commitments didn't allow that flexibility. Not a problem! My advisor helped me find an alternative to a semester abroad, and I spent part of my summer after sophomore year in rural Scotland doing an internship with a physician. This experience, combined with a winter term internship at the Vermont Children's Hospital at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vermont, confirmed my interest in medicine and encouraged me to finish my pre-med requirements. As a result of the opportunities Middlebury provided I decided to pursue a career in medicine and am now attending University of Vermont College of Medicine.