Hometown: Bethesda, MD
High School: Holton-Arms School
Major: English and History Joint Major
Minor: French

Activities: Residential Life (Cook and Atwater Commons), Academic Judicial Board, volunteer with Page One Literacy Project, Middlebury Mountain Club, member of the Honorary Degree Committee of the Board of Trustees

Study Abroad: I spent the winter and spring of my junior year studying in Bordeaux, France.

Why did I want to be a Senior Fellow?

I’ve been interested in the Fellows program ever since freshman year when I heard about it from a friend who worked in the Admissions Office. I want to lend a student perspective to the admissions process as a friendly student face to the hundreds of prospective students who visit Middlebury every year.  I care deeply about the Middlebury community and I want to share my love for this place with our visitors.

What was my college search like?

My college search ended up being pretty simple. I was interested in a lot of northeastern liberal arts schools, but after many campus visits, I had narrowed it down to Middlebury and one other similar school. After spending a night at each school, I was overwhelming convinced that Middlebury was the place for me. I was fortunate enough to be accepted early, and when I arrived at Middlebury in the fall, I was relieved to find that Middlebury was everything I hoped it would be, and more.

Why Middlebury?

I first visited Middlebury during the summer, and fell under the spell of Vermont during the summertime.  During our campus tour, I fell in love with the library, and immediately pictured myself studying at the big blue chairs facing the Green Mountains.  When I spent a night on campus, I was struck by the kindness and generosity of the students and the tangible sense of community I felt around me.  Quite simply, Middlebury was a place where I felt comfortable, where I was confident I could find people who I could be myself around, and where I would be welcomed into a community that valued learning in the classroom as much as exploration and personal growth.

What is life at Middlebury like?

Choosing a major

During my sophomore year, I declared as an English major with a minor in History and French.  I took a bunch of English classes and enjoyed them, but also always felt a pull towards the history class I could squeeze in here and there.  After my experiences abroad and this past summer, I’ve decided to join my two primary academic interests into a joint major, which goes to show that you can change your mind right up until the very end! The most important thing I’ve found is to take classes that interest you, that you’re passionate about, and to be true to yourself about both of those things.  While classes are always rigorous at Middlebury, they become easier to manage (and sometimes even fun!) when you like what you’re learning.

The biggest challenge in transitioning to college

My biggest challenge in transitioning to college was learning my way around a completely new place and making new friends.  Coming from a small high school, I was used to knowing everyone and everything.  When I arrived at Middlebury, I was overwhelmed by how new and unfamiliar everything was and how no one knew who I was.  However, I quickly met friends who lived in my dorm who have stayed my closest friends to this day, and my Commons community helped me to feel a part of something from the very beginning.

Fondest memory of Middlebury

Some of my fondest memories include the finale of the Quidditch World Cup my freshman year on Battell Beach, dancing to Motown music at 51 Main during J-term, snowshoeing in Ripton with a J-term workshop, picking flowers from the organic garden, spending sunny afternoons out on Battell Beach with friends, biking and hiking the trails around Middlebury, and countless spontaneous conversations in dining halls, dorm rooms, hallways and sidewalks with friends and professors.

Favorite class or professor

During my time at Middlebury, I have been fortunate enough to study with Antonia Losano, Amy Morsman and Katy Smith Abbott.  All of these women are inspiring not only because of their passion and expertise within their fields, but also for their dedication and commitment to their students.  These three professors model the excellence of educators; teachers who inspire their students while serving as approachable and generous mentors even after the semester has ended.

What I do in my spare time

During the fall and spring, I love to be outside, hiking, biking, apple picking, visiting the various harvest festivals at farms around Middlebury, and reading in Adirondack chairs on Battell Beach.  During the winter, I enjoy snowshoeing up at Ripton and trying not to fall off my cross-country skis.  Year round, I love spending time with my friends and family and visiting the many culinary establishments in and around Middlebury.

What I did this past summer

This past summer I interned at the House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the Office of the Historian.  I also volunteered with an oral history project at a national park near my house interviewing local residents who participated in civil rights protests during 1960.