Throughout my undergrad experience, I felt accepted and confident in the company of my peers and mentors working in Student Programs, Leadership, and Orientation (SPLO). Any passerby could recognize the passion and dedication that poured into the everyday work completed by this team. They made campus a home for everyone. It was my experience as an Orientation Advisor and SPLO Intern that drove me to explore career opportunities in student affairs. I identified a mentor in SPLO whom I could look to for guidance — personally, professionally, and academically. 
At the beginning of the fall semester at Nazareth College, each student went around the room to share the story of why they joined the program; it was intriguing to hear that so many of us end up in this program for similar reasons stemming from our own experiences and mentors on campus.
As a big sister, I have always been a role model to my siblings. It never felt like a chore; I’ve wanted to see them thrive, always. I take pride in their achievements and am eager to challenge and support them through their social lives and academic careers.
My biggest motivation has always been the people I surround myself with. I have always sought communities in which I can identify a role model for myself, while also having the opportunity for me to act as a mentor for others. These scenarios push me to be my best self, as I strive to match the expectations of the role model and meet the needs of those who are looking to me for guidance.
At Nazareth, I found a community of people who were like me and supported me like family. (That’s me in red, at right.) With a small cohort, we all stick together, lean on each other, and learn from one another. In my first two semesters, I gained so much knowledge from my peers through our seminar courses; not only were we discussing adolescent development and the implications in higher education but doing so through a cultural context. I stumbled upon a number of social injustices that I was blind to — simply from being someone who for most of my life has benefited and has been far removed from those who don’t. My peers were able to provide insight and expand my worldview; they encouraged me to be a better version of myself. I learned how to have conversations with my peers about the privilege I have and the oppressions that people within my own inner circle face everyday.
It has also been a pleasure to learn about the individuals in my cohort beyond the classroom through HESAA Hangouts, where we have gathered for fun activities such as axe throwing, trivia, and bowling! Through this program, I have gained lifelong friends that I know will continue to motivate me through the hard days. I am in the HESAA program part-time, so I will be sending off the majority of my cohort into the workforce at the end of this semester and, like my siblings, I can’t wait to watch them thrive and share their experiences with their future students and colleagues.