| Personal Statement |
“Podcasts are music to my ears. The lyrics tell a story, but it’s the art of active listening that allows that story to be heard. Curating podcasts brings me the same joy others find in creating playlists. Scrolling through mine, you’ll find a mix of topics, each with the need for human connection as the common thread.” Reflecting on my admissions essay this paragraph remains true however, my definition of connection has deepened over time. Lafayette has impacted how I connect with others–my community, my professors, and my peers allowing me to show up as the most authentic version of myself.
Volunteering in the Easton community as part of POSP, served as the cornerstone of my Lafayette experience. Lafayette has shown me the importance of connection within community. Whether it’s my continued role in POSP guiding first-year students, my work as an AOL, or re-establishing a weekly MOSAIC Aging Populations program, actively listening and engaging with others provides meaningful connection. Mutuality of engagement serves as a framework for how I view my role within community, as I seek to learn from others as much as I strive to provide support.
For me, community engagement and academics are inseparably intertwined. Coursework opened my eyes to the inequalities that exist within communities, along with the need to provide long-term solutions instead of short-term fixes. My work as an Advanced Research student, EXCEL Scholar and Bergh Fellow led to my honors thesis. The process of qualitative analysis within my thesis helped me better understand the impact and importance of language within communities.
Lafayette has deepened my understanding of connection in relation to community. Connection and community must be collaborative– listening and acknowledging lived experiences. Looking back, I am reminded of why I chose Lafayette and for me, it was always about connection. I leave college confident in my personal and academic growth, and I am deeply grateful for the many connections I’ve made along the way that have shaped how I view the world. Working within my community, my greatest hope is to provide the same connection and support that I found here at Lafayette. |
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| Academic Activity / Award |
Total years participated |
Briefly describe your involvement |
| Herbert W. Rogers Psychology Prize |
2025 |
Awarded annually to an outstanding senior psychology major who is judged by the department to be the most deserving. |
| Paul Bernon Memorial Prize in Sociology |
2025 |
Awarded to the graduating senior most outstanding in anthropology and sociology. Selection is made by department faculty. |
| Lafayette Alumni of the Lehigh Valley Scholarship Award |
2025 |
Awarded annually to a small group of seniors residing in the greater Lehigh Valley who have distinguished themselves during their four years at Lafayette in academics, athletics, or the performing arts. |
| Senior Honors Thesis |
1 |
Under the supervision of Dr. Abbey Mann, I successfully defended my psychology thesis in December 2024. Expanding on my work as an EXCEL Scholar and Bergh Research Fellow through reflexive thematic analysis, I qualitatively analyzed thirty semi-structured interviews from the Healthcare Experiences and Needs of Nonbinary Adults (HENNA) Study. I then constructed five themes from the interview data, revealing the importance of culturally competent care that is specific to nonbinary individualized needs. Through my qualitative work, I found that the ability to give language to the nonbinary community not only validates their lived experiences but also propels systematic change. |
| EXCEL Scholar and Bergh Research Fellow |
1.5 |
Continuing my work on the HENNA study both during the semester as well as the summer as Dr. Abbey Mann’s research assistant, I actively learned research skills, including interview planning, IRB proposals, study manuals, Otter AI transcriptions, and NVivo coding software. In the summer of my junior year, I dove deeper into the study of nonbinary access to care. Specifically, I worked on the quantitative methods and planning of the larger mixed-methods HENNA study. Based on the interview data, I helped construct a survey used to gain a broader understanding of nonbinary-specific healthcare needs and desires. During this process, I learned about survey design, the reliability and validity of measures, and the larger impacts of mixed methods designs. |
| Advanced Research |
0.5 |
I was invited to join Dr. Abbey Mann’s Community Health Lab in my sophomore year where I worked on the TransACCESS Study. This work provided me with a better understanding of the Minority Stress Model and transgender access to healthcare. I also was exposed to timeline interviews using a mixed methods approach. |
| Marquis Award Recipient |
4 |
Awarded at admission to students who demonstrate intellectual curiosity, community engagement, and academic achievement. |
| Dean’s List |
4 |
I’ve made Dean’s List each semester while at Lafayette. |
| Psi Chi (International Honor Society in Psychology) |
2 |
I was invited to join in my sophomore year with the requirements of at least three psychology courses, declared major/minor in psychology, was in the top 35% of my graduating class in GPA (minimum of 3.0), and had a minimum 3.0 GPA in psychology courses. |
| Eastern Psychological Association Presenter |
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I was chosen to attend the Eastern Psychological Association meeting in my junior year, where I compiled the preliminary findings of the HENNA study and presented them during the poster session. |
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| Campus Service Activity/Award |
Total years participated |
Briefly describe your involvement |
| Ambassador of Lafayette |
4 years, 1 summer |
As a tour guide, I hope to be remembered as warm, welcoming, and friendly as I serve as one of the first points of contact for prospective students and their families. As the face of Lafayette, I actively listen to questions and concerns while working towards providing thoughtful answers that make prospective students and their families feel comfortable, included, and excited about a potential future at Lafayette. Some of the many events you can find me working as an AOL are individual and group tours, alumni tours, student panels, Leopard for a Day, XLC, and Leopard Connect. |
| Ambassador of Lafayette Senior Interviewer |
1 |
Selected as a senior interviewer was truly a full circle moment for me. One of the many reasons I chose Lafayette, as a prospective student, was the connection I felt with my senior interviewer. I made a promise to myself to connect in the same way with my prospective students and help them see exactly where they fit in at Lafayette based on their individuality and passions. |
| Ambassador of Lafayette Leadership Team |
1 |
In my sophomore year I served as the Director of Connection, acting as a liaison between the admissions team and tour guides. More specifically, I created monthly informational newsletters providing updates to the entire admissions team and organized monthly team building events to unify AOL members. |
| Psychology Club |
4 |
As a club member, I have attended many programs intended to create awareness of the different areas within psychology along with potential career opportunities. |
| Happiness Project |
2 |
As a member of the Happiness Project, I attended monthly meetings centered around spreading kindness around campus. During these meetings, I wrote notes of appreciation to dining and janitorial staff, spread motivational sticky notes around academic buildings, and helped to increase student awareness through gratitude activities. |
| Stress Less |
2 |
As a Stress Less member, I am keenly aware of how this group has influenced my ability to show up as my best self within my academic, community, and extracurricular involvements. Prioritizing connection each week through yoga, walks, and meditation, I encourage my friends to take a moment to rest and reset. My hope is by sharing with others the importance of making time for yourself, they will realize the overall impact it has on all aspects of life. |
| President’s Student Advisory Board |
1 |
Selected to serve on the President’s Student Advisor Board, I attend monthly meetings where my responsibility is to share my experience at Lafayette as well as represent my fellow student body. I work to ensure the overall wellbeing of the campus as well as ensure campus inclusivity. |
| Self-Defense Class |
1 |
As a first-year student and solo runner, I saw the potential opportunity to increase safety awareness on campus. Working in tandem with Public Safety and the Student Advocacy and Prevention Coordinator, I planned a self-defense safety course, designed to empower students on campus. |
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| Community Service |
Total years participated |
Briefly describe your involvement |
| Pre-Orientation Service Program (POSP) |
4 |
My connection to POSP undoubtedly is what defines me and my time at Lafayette– holding a special place in my heart forever. Chosen as a first-year student for this immersive experience, I actively supported the Easton community at the Firth Youth Center and The Boys and Girls Club by participating in various planned community activities. This experience was so impactful and fulfilling that I quickly knew I wanted to continue my work within the program. In my sophomore year, I was chosen as a Leadership Staff Member and Reflection Leader. This role allowed me to develop interactive and engaging events for first-year students and children at the Firth Youth Center. Serving as a Reflection Leader was one of my favorite parts of POSP. I found fulfillment in leading and facilitating introspective conversations about service events while weaving in the POSP teaching models of service. In my junior and senior years, I remained a Reflection Leader and was an Executive Board Member and Co-Director of Aging Populations. Within my role as Co-Director of Aging Populations, I re-established a community partnership with Gracedale Nursing Home, bringing awareness and dignity to aging individuals. My work within POSP over the last four years and the connections I’ve formed within my community have ignited my passion to work in the field of public health post-graduation. |
| MOSAIC- Landis Center for Community Engagement |
4 |
MOSAIC is a place that has brings me a sense of fulfillment and aligns with my core values. As a first-year student I worked with LafKid Connect where I engaged bi-weekly with students at Easton Area Middle School. We ran activities geared towards making education fun and as well as getting students excited about the possibility of going to college. In my sophomore year, I served as a Pard Projects Program Coordinator, where I helped plan, organize, and execute service events across Lafayette’s campus and the greater Easton community. In my junior and senior years, I’ve held the position of Program Coordinator for Gracedale Nursing Home. I help organize a weekly volunteer program that supports Gracedale residents through cognitive training activities as part of the Brain Exercise Initiative. |
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| Athletic Activity/Award |
Total years participated |
Briefly describe your involvement |
| Runner |
7 |
I actively started running during the pandemic to relieve stress and manage anxiety. While at Lafayette my love of running continues, as I’ve trained and completed the D&L Half Marathon (4 years), St. Luke’s Half Marathon (3 years), and Green Trail 5k (3 years). I’ve collected an inclusive community of fellow runners along the way, supporting each other as we train with weekend long runs fueled by Mojo breakfast sandwiches! |
| Group Power Fitness Classes |
3 |
Continuing to prioritize my overall health, I decided to incorporate strength training into my fitness routine. I consistently take this fitness class and enjoy encouraging my friends to join in with me. |
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| Special Interest Activity/Award |
Total years participated |
Briefly describe your involvement |
| LVHN |
0.5 |
This semester, I am an intern at the Leonard Parker Pool Institute for Health (LPPIH), a nonprofit part of the Lehigh Valley Health Network. As an LPPIH intern, I work directly with Dr. Cheryl Arndt on the program evaluation of Integrative Community Therapy within Allentown. I assist with focus group interviews, collection of data, and qualitative analysis, all with the goal of understanding how to best build community and mitigate health disparities. |
| Aaron O. Hoff Award |
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Nominated in 2023 and 2025 |
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