My Bio - The Long Version
Where do I begin? I suppose I could take the traditional route and say I spent the first 18 years of my life in Muskegon, Michigan with a bundle of creative energy and my nose in every book I could find while trying to figure out the answer to the question "So, what do you want to do with your life?"
I learned to read when I was three years old and became obsessed with creative writing as soon as I learned to pick up a pencil and put words together. I was the kid who spent middle school days reading Steven King novels and checking out stacks of books from the library. I've had a writing portfolio for as long as I can remember and have accumulated numerous pages of stories over the years.
I graduated from Muskegon High School and had nothing short of a wonderful experience there. Being around such a diverse and talented group of students made a significant impact on my outlook on life; it helped me understand the attitudes, beliefs, and stories of those coming from different backgrounds.
One of my biggest accomplishments to this day has been graduating Valedictorian from MHS in 2009. Not only did I feel proud of the work I did, but I also felt special to follow in my mother's footsteps - she graduated Valedictorian from MHS in 1985. I was even featured in the Muskegon Mirror along with a special story about my mom and I.
I learned to read when I was three years old and became obsessed with creative writing as soon as I learned to pick up a pencil and put words together. I was the kid who spent middle school days reading Steven King novels and checking out stacks of books from the library. I've had a writing portfolio for as long as I can remember and have accumulated numerous pages of stories over the years.
I graduated from Muskegon High School and had nothing short of a wonderful experience there. Being around such a diverse and talented group of students made a significant impact on my outlook on life; it helped me understand the attitudes, beliefs, and stories of those coming from different backgrounds.
One of my biggest accomplishments to this day has been graduating Valedictorian from MHS in 2009. Not only did I feel proud of the work I did, but I also felt special to follow in my mother's footsteps - she graduated Valedictorian from MHS in 1985. I was even featured in the Muskegon Mirror along with a special story about my mom and I.
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I began college thinking I wanted to attend medical school. During my Freshman year, I came to the realization I did not enjoy any of my science classes, nor did I want to spend the next eight plus years in college incurring a substantial amount of debt for a career I wasn't sure I wanted. Instead, I loved my psychology courses and wished to pursue that - a field I was always passionate about.
During the next couple years as an undergraduate, I kept my psychology major but bounced around from department to department. I looked into law school, graduate school for psychology, creative writing, and journalism. I worked in a psychology research lab and gained experience doing my own undergraduate research. I kept myself busy with new opportunities, discovered what I liked and did not like, and eventually found my life falling into place.
During the next couple years as an undergraduate, I kept my psychology major but bounced around from department to department. I looked into law school, graduate school for psychology, creative writing, and journalism. I worked in a psychology research lab and gained experience doing my own undergraduate research. I kept myself busy with new opportunities, discovered what I liked and did not like, and eventually found my life falling into place.
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Because of my devoted interest in social psychology and consumer behavior, I knew I wanted to continue my studies in communication. With no desire to leave the state, I was delighted to come across the communication master's program at Grand Valley State University. The program is located in the heart of Grand Rapids, a city I've loved for years, so I knew it would be a great place to live for awhile, especially since it's close to family, which is very important to me.
At the beginning of 2012, I was lucky to begin a position at Netvantage Marketing, a business specializing in Search Engine Optimization. Although I didn't know much about the field at first, I learned a lot within the first few months and continue to learn everyday. With another dash of luck, Netvantage opened an office in downtown Grand Rapids, and I worked there until April 2013. |
MSU Intergroup Relations Lab, 2010-2011 school year.
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At Netvantage, one of my favorite tasks was, of course, writing. From blogs to news style articles, I wrote about topics from log siding to pool safety, and I interviewed and built relationships with lots of wonderful people. If there's one thing I love, it's telling stories. Whether someone is a business owner, expert, or average citizen, chances are they have passions and knowledge and stories to tell.
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In July 2012, I officially graduated With Honor from the Honors College and College of Social Science at Michigan State University. Getting my degree in the mail solidified this accomplishment and I couldn't be any more proud of myself for all the work I put in. I now am enjoying my time at Grand Valley State University's Master of Communications program.
As for a few facts about me, I'm easily inspired, I like being busy, and I enjoy learning new skills. I love to read and I'm fascinated by social psychology and human behavior. I enjoy being active in my community, working with people, volunteering, and crafting. Most of all, I like being challenged and solving problems.
As far as the future goes, I still cannot concretely answer the question "So, what do you want to do with your life?" I continue to ask myself today, but I also know I am on the right track. I would like a career in communications, but I am open to any experience that will challenge me and keep me on my feet. I aim to have a career I absolutely love. I would eventually like to become an adjunct instructor and teach a few college classes. I wish to visit a number of countries around the world. I would like a lot of things, but above all I hope to be pleasantly surprised by how my life unfolds. |
