Do you lean into Myers Briggs, Enneagram or another leadership/personality test? If so, what has it helped you learn about yourself?
A few weeks ago, I completed the CliftonStrengths assessment. Although I’ve taken various assessments similar to this, this particular definition of my strengths brought insight to my understanding of and relationship to the world around me. My greatest strength is Connectedness. I believe there is meaning in everything and we are all connected. This relationship building strength helps me understand my responses to situations at work, my personal relationships, and even my thoughts. I find comfort in the connectedness of all things and the acknowledgement that I am a part of something bigger than myself.

What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my ability to get up and drive to work everyday. A few years ago that was something I never imagined I would be able to do. I got my license at 17, but was diagnosed with generalized anxiety and panic attacks a few years later. My mental health took a sharp turn for the worst the summer after my freshman year. I was unable to drive or be alone without having a panic attack. After many therapy appointments and learned coping skills, I finally regained my strength to drive alone. Whenever I find myself questioning how far I’ve come, I think about how proud my younger self would be to know that I not only drive myself to work, but I am also able to see the beauty of the world around me. Not everyday has been or will be easy, but I am grateful for my courage to experience it.

What’s something you’ve created recently?
I create through dance. I love finding movement with other people – the shapes, the breath, the confusion, and the grace. Although improvisation within dance is created, it’s created much differently and often much quicker than what we usually think of. You listen to the music or the lack thereof and you just move. This form of creation is very therapeutic for me. You do not stop and critique each movement or even correct them. While some patterns look and feel beautiful, others feel clunky and less than beautiful. Like any art form, there is an inability to be perfect, as the meaning lies in the eye of the beholder.

What motivates you?
My drive for others to feel and truly be included and the belief that I can cultivate goodness in this world.

Since receiving your scholarship, how have you been involved with your community foundation?
I was a scholarship reviewer for the 2022-2023 academic year. After reviewing scholarships, I attended the scholarship awards dinner to celebrate the recipients. I wanted to further my involvement, so for the 2023-24 academic year, I am a member of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship review committee. In addition to reviewing their online applications, I will help interview and select this year’s Lake County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipients.

What perspective has your involvement with your community foundation provided you?
Getting to review scholarships of students in Lake County has provided me insight into the joys and the hardships that the diverse youth of Lake County are facing. One school may offer 10+ Advanced Placement courses and the most up to date technology while another school struggles to offer honors courses. Their applications demonstrate their resiliency despite varying levels of opportunity and support. It is a privilege to get a glimpse into the lives of these students, and they motivate me to stay connected with Northwest Indiana and dig deeper into the disparities within our community.

How did your involvement with the Legacy Foundation start post-college?
I stayed in close contact with my scholarship administrator, Jodi, during undergrad – celebrating successes and expressing fears. I graduated in May 2022 and Jodi contacted me that winter to see if I was interested in reviewing scholarships. It was an easy “yes”! With the opportunities Legacy provided me through the administration of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, I was so excited at the opportunity to give back to an organization that has given me so much.

First posted 11/6/2023