What makes you a Difference Maker?
Honestly, it's hard for me to consider myself a Difference Maker. I don't feel that I necessarily deserve an award for doing what I do; I simply try to do the right thing. It's important to me to do what I can to help others, and while I like to think that I have made a difference in my time on campus, I don't feel that that makes me a Difference Maker per se. I don't mean to sound ungrateful in saying this—I'm very honored to receive this award—but I feel like a Difference Maker is someone who sets out to make major changes. I simply do what I can to help, and if my actions help even one person, I feel like what I did was worthwhile.
Highlight your campus achievements:
The thing I'm most proud of that I've done on campus is write a philosophical paper titled "The Metaphysics of Non-Binary Gender Identities" that I took to the Trans* Experience in Philosophy Conference at the University of Oregon in May 2016. While this is not specifically a "campus achievement," I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of university faculty, particularly Dr. Maureen Linker, who offered feedback and advised me throughout the process.
I'm also particularly proud of an independent study I completed during the Winter 2015 semester with the help of Dr. Amy Brainer. The goal of the independent study was to make the on-campus counseling center more LGBTQ friendly. To do this, I researched best-practice findings for working with LGBTQ clients to put together a presentation to educate the campus counselors on various LGBTQ identities and special considerations for working with LGBTQ clients.
I've also received a variety of awards and honors through the University of Michigan-Dearborn including the Chancellor's Medallion (2017), Philosophy Honors Scholar (2017), Women's and Gender Studies Scholar (2014), Top Student in Psychology Award (Fall 2015/Winter 2016), and obviously UM-Dearborn Difference Maker (2017).
Highlight your leadership experiences both on and off campus:
The most extensive leadership experience I have is through the supplemental instruction program for the behavioral sciences on campus. I was hired as a SI leader in August 2014 and have continued every semester since. As a SI leader, I prepare materials and hold group review sessions for students enrolled in classes I'm assigned to. I was honored to have the opportunity to work as a SI leader on campus, especially since I've been able to work in Psyc 381 (Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences) classes for a few semesters. Psyc 381 is a required course for psychology majors and one that many are extremely nervous to have to take. My goal for any class I'm assigned to is not only to help students learn the material and get a good grade, but to help make the class more manageable and to help the students gain confidence in their ability to do well in the class. I think the reason why I like working with Psyc 381 students more than any other class is because that is where I feel like I make the most difference.
I've also had the honor of being able to work as the assistant supervisor for the SI program for behavioral sciences. As assistant supervisor, I give feedback on SI leaders' session plans, observe and offer feedback on SI leader's session, organize and lead staff meetings and create and administer polls to collect feedback from students. I'm very grateful to be in a position where I can help our SI leaders grow and gain confidence and to have the opportunity to work closely with the SI supervisor, Deb Roundtree, who always has the program's best interests in heart and who has helped me to grow as a person in so many ways.
What is your dream career and/or long term life goal?
My long term career goal is to become a philosophy professor. After graduation, I plan to go to graduate school and hope to get accepted into a Ph.D. program in philosophy, likely in the area of feminist philosophy. During grad school, I plan to do research and write on topics that relate to how we view LGBTQ and particularly non-binary trans* identities and what is required to shift society’s views to the more positive. After graduating with my Ph.D., I plan to work as a professor, which of course requires that I continue to do my own research as well as teach. My current research interests are described above, but regardless of where my research takes me, I hope to positively affect the field of philosophy as well as other fields. Philosophy has been described as the mother of all sciences, as the ideas generated in the field of philosophy influence and inform so many other disciplines. With this in mind, I simply hope that my research and writing has a positive effect in some way. As for the teaching aspect, I again simply hope to have some positive impact. Of all the classes I have taken, my introductory philosophy class is the one that I feel has impacted me the most on a personal level by broadening the way I look at and think about things. I feel that if even only one of my students in any given semester has such an experience, then it is entirely worthwhile.
As for my long term life goal, I simply wish to be happy and help others, and I hope that what I've chosen to do with my life will aid me in doing those things.
What was your most defining moment at UM-Dearborn?
I don't think I can pick just one most defining moment at UM-Dearborn. I've completely changed the career path I want to take due to my experiences here. I've gained confidence in myself as a person and in my academic ability through working with the staff and faculty, and I've met the love of my life here. All of these things have drastically altered the course of my life for the better. How can I pick one most defining moment?