What did the scholarship allow you to do that you otherwise wouldn’t have done?
The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship facilitated me coming back to Owen County to find my first job. Without college debt, and the pressure of moving to find a job, I was able to take a job as a probation officer and that piqued my interest in the judicial system.

What are you most proud of?
My family.

What do you love about Indiana?
I love the people in Indiana. I think people here are friendly, straight-forward, and earnest.

What would you change to help Indiana communities?
I would love to change outsiders’ perception of Indiana. I really feel like if people bothered to visit, they’d be very surprised. Just the differences in geographies across the state: lakes, dunes, waterfalls, forests. There’s a lot to see and do here, and I don’t think people really appreciate that.

What’s the last book that you read?
The Human Stain by Philip Roth; It was written in the 90s but it thematically feels very timely. It’s not my favorite book, but definitely one worth reading.

First posted 2/7/2022