Three years ago, as a senior in high school who was trying to decide on a college major, I struggled with the fact that I had never found something that I wasn’t interested in. My interests widely and evenly spanned both the natural sciences and the humanities, but each potential major I considered was rooted firmly in one discipline. Unaware that having two majors was even feasible, and compelled by family and teachers, I ultimately decided to major in Biological Sciences. During my first semester at LSU, in pursuit of appeasing my desire for a variable course load, I took “Theories of Religion”. What I discovered was that this Religious Studies course, and the study of religion as a whole, was a culmination of the subjects that were lacking in my science-based curriculum– history, philosophy, and literature, among others. I felt incredibly lucky to be exposed to diverse ideas and modes of thinking that allowed me to remain open-minded, enhance my critical thinking skills, and further my respect and knowledge of other cultures. It was then that I realized I truly could not imagine continuing my education in just one field of study, so I added a Religious Studies major.

In high school, I greatly enjoyed my Spanish classes; Spanish is a beautiful language with an interesting history and variants today. Learning Spanish has expanded my thinking and my opportunities, and I have no doubt that enhancing my knowledge of it will continue to alter my thinking and behavior, as well as benefit me in the future. I also had always been in awe of people who spoke a second language. To me, these people are incredibly brave and smart–something that gave me the courage to officially learn the language by adding a Spanish minor (as opposed to just relying on my 30 day Duolingo streak).

Following a gap year in which I will continue to hone my interests and skills, I plan to attend graduate school and earn a Ph.D. in EEB (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology), and pursue my research with a concentration on ethnobotany. This is a discipline pertaining to the study of ecological relationships between humans and the plants we utilize. It is defined by interconnected systems and interdisciplinary collaboration that will satiate my pervading desire to learn. I intend to use ethnobotanical research to advance knowledge of, respect for, conservation efforts protecting plants used in traditional medicines and religious ceremonies, particularly in Andean South America, while encouraging consensual, mutually beneficial collaborations between study groups and scientists.

Originally, I created this portfolio to demonstrate the spoken, written, technological, and visual communication skills that I have developed through my coursework at LSU and as a prospective medalist in LSU's Distinguished Communicator Program. Now, as an alum of this instituion and program, I'm committed to keeping this site up-to-date to exemplify skills and experiences that make me an excellent candidate and colleague at every career stage!