How the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship affected my life:
It was a great opportunity to be able to pursue what I wanted in college. I traveled abroad for two weeks to Vietnam. When I struggled with mental health issues, I didn’t have to work. I suffered from depression in college, and being able to know my school was paid for was a weight off my shoulders because I could still focus on my education and not also have to maintain a job. I got a Master’s in public affairs as well as a Master’s of Arts in arts administration, which I would not have been able to do directly after undergrad if I had had debt from undergrad. And then, after graduation I was able to connect with the Lilly Scholars Network and hold a position on the advisory council. I was able to spread my wings and learn more about the state as I helped with the Give Back Initiative and some other things.

Best piece of advice for current Lilly Scholars:
Connect with the Network. There are so many cool alumni doing great things who are always happy to talk.  Definitely connect with them.
 
Best piece of professional advice I’ve ever received:
Share your great ideas; the world gets better that way.

Current issue I’m most passionate about:
Supporting youth. It takes seven positive role models in a child’s life for them to be a successful adult, and it’s easy to be that positive person in someone’s life. I think that is more important than ever as the world’s becoming more divisive.

First posted 5/5/2021