Higher Education was not a path I originally was aiming toward headed down. On the brink of earning a Bachelors in Secondary-Education and Biology my final year at Grand Valley, I was wrapping up my first year "teaching" as a student teacher. It was incredibly rewarding from multiple perspectives. Teaching a subject I love, interacting and impacting young adults, and being around like-minded educational professionals was great. I had my sights set on becoming a high school biology teacher. However, I came to find out quick that there was a lot more to being a teacher than simply just those three aspects. 

With a sliver of doubt about what I wanted to do upon graduation, I reached out to Grand Valley legends Dr. Damon Arnold and Walter Moore for "kicks and gigs". It was actually my former roommate and great friend (and also former standout Grand Valley receiver), Jacob Miller, who suggested I get in contact with them. For context, Dr. Arnold is currently Assistant AD of Player Development for LSU football and Walter Moore is Grand Valley's Associate Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Welfare & Development. Both were super receptive and willing to let me pick their brains, something I am very appreciative of. We talked about education, we talked about careers in sports, and we talked about potential avenues I could explore moving forward. They both suggested I enter the CSAL (College Student Affairs and Leadership) and earn a degree in Higher Education that would be paid for through an internship, but could also provide me an opportunity to bridge my two earthly passions: college athletics and education. Not only would this provide a pay increase if I were to pursue secondary-education after my Masters, but it would open up new doors with new opportunities in the future. This was a stressful time for me because until this point, I had full intention of becoming a teacher ande devoted years of my life intentionally and willfully preparing to do so. I figured if nothing elser, I will leave with a Masters and have two years to decide some more. I love teaching (and teaching biology nonetheless), I loved my students, but I went the route of the CSAL.

One year into the program, I have gained valuable experience working within Disability Support Resources and with student-athletes in the Laker Academic Success Center at GVSU and now currently at the FedEx Student-Athlete Success Center at Ole Miss. I have added to my "teacher's toolbox" at all stops and have gathered skills that should I teach upon earning my Masters, can apply to a high school classroom. This said, I have loved every second of it to this point and am beginning to think my calling is in a role where I work with collegiate student-athletes to become the best learners they can and achieve educational excellence.