Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Chesterton, Indiana. It’s an hour away from Chicago and a 10 minute drive to the beach. I love Chesterton and would not have wanted to grow up anywhere else.

What brought you to Purdue?

Chesterton is pretty small, so I thought branching out into a big college campus would be fun and exciting.

What is your major, and why did you choose it?

My major is Law and Society (Criminology). In high school I did extensive research on the criminalization of mental illness for a competitive speech piece. I ended up finding a real passion in it, and prison reform as a whole, so I chose to study criminology.

What are you hopes/dreams/goals upon graduation?

After graduation I will be attending the University of Florida for an MFA in acting! Afterwards, I hope to combine my two passions by finding work in prison-ran or post-incarceration theatre programs in Chicago. My main goal is to either be a part of or create a theatre company that emphasizes stories written by those affected by the criminal justice system. Along with that, I hope to be a working theatre, film, and voiceover actress!

What are some of your favorite recent projects and what makes them your favorites?

My favorite project so far has been playing the creature in our version of Frankenstein! The creature was an incredibly complex and unique opportunity, especially since we built the show from the ground up. Themes in the original book really connect with modern sociology, so I was able to utilize much of my academic work in my character analysis. Being able to dissect the character and fully put myself into their headspace was my most challenging and fulfilling college role.

Along with that, I am super grateful to have been a part of Purdue’s version of Midsummer! Having my last show be one with many of my close friends, along with new ones, was the perfect send off. It was nice to be able to end this era with something upbeat and comedic. I’m incredibly grateful to have gotten to spend that time with people I love to create something fun, charming, and totally us.

Can you describe a dream project or opportunity?

A dream project of mine would be a completely prison reform based theatre program! Having current and former inmates writing the scripts, hiring formerly incarcerated actors, technicians, and designers, and having in-prison workshops would be the dream.

Besides that, being a voice actor in a cartoon is another dream of mine. Adventure Time is my favorite show of all time and I love animation and cartoons in general. I think most of the television I consume is some style of animation.

Can you describe one thing you’ve discovered about Purdue since you started here that you really love?

One thing about Purdue that I slowly discovered and now love is the bursting art community! Even outside of the PAO building, students have formed communities, magazines, Instagram pages, and websites for creating and sharing artwork. If you want to create something, you can find a team for it on campus.

Another thing I love is the students’ passion for activism. My classmates are constantly inspiring me to push harder when it comes to causes I care about. There are some seriously passionate, unrelenting activist communities here and they inspire me to do more to make my voice heard.

Anything else you want to share about yourself that makes you unique and that you want to celebrate!

I worked really hard these past four years and somehow pulled off a 3.99 GPA. Thank you Spanish class for the only A- I ever received. Fingers crossed I end this semester with all A’s too. I also sing, make jewelry, and write!