BEYOND WYWLA

What year did you graduate from WYWLA?

2016

How long were you at WYWLA?

Four years

Why did you choose WYWLA? What were some things you had in mind to get out of WYWLA? Did you? Who were your biggest influences at WYWLA?

I chose WYWLA because I wanted a smaller high school experience compared to the bigger schools I had come from. I had always been a little bit hesitant to try something new, but knew that if I was in a smaller school, I would feel more confident to take risks and put myself out there. I definitely learned to be a more confident version of myself while I was at WYWLA. The teachers had really encouraged us to learn from our peers, so one of my biggest influences had been my friends and the other girls.   

What are some of the biggest lessons you learned at WYWLA?

The biggest lesson was the sense of community and support that comes with putting a group of young women together. We learned how to bring each other up, which has been a lesson I’ve taken with me through the rest of my career.

What were you involved in during your high school years? What staff members championed you while at WYWLA?  How?

I honestly can’t think of a teacher who didn’t champion me! For example, Mrs. di Carlo helped me a ton in all of my leadership and service related activities, like the student council and the Juniorettes. I was also able to win awards twice with a Raleigh high school literary contest because I could always count on feedback from our English teacher, Mrs. Watkins. I think I tried a little bit of everything and I was so lucky to be supported by everyone at the school during my time there!

Approximately how many college credits did you earn through our partnership with St. Augustine’s University?

I think it was around 65.

Why did you choose a Chemistry Major? What is your career goal? 

I majored in Chemistry with a biochemistry concentration. I will be a bioinformatician/computational biologist once I’m done with grad school! I love chemistry because a little bit of every science has a foundation in it; it can be mixed with physics, biology, genetics, it’s even being used in computation. So I got to try a little bit of every science in college before finding a concentration that inspired me. I am currently a Master's candidate for Physiology at NCSU. 

What advice would you offer to our 6th grade OWLS, 9th grade OWLS, and our senior OWLS?

Try something new in your first years! It was one of the best things I learned when I started 9th grade in WYWLA because it gives you such a confidence boost when you figure out that new thing wasn’t that scary after all. This is especially true for the senior OWLs if you’re looking towards college or even the workforce!

What do you do in your spare time?

I love roller-skating! Over the pandemic, my friends and I formed a roller-skating group so we could get outside and see each other. 

What colleges did you apply to/get accepted? Why did you choose NCSU?

North Carolina State University, East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Johns Hopkins. I was accepted to every school except for Johns Hopkins.  I decided to go to NCSU, where I am currently working towards my Master's! 

How did high school prepare you for college? 

I tried out different study habits and learning styles when I was in high school, which is so helpful in college when all the professors do things differently from each other. Also learning how to ask my teachers questions and get feedback so I don’t feel nervous doing that in college.