Over the past two years, I have already started to raise awareness and support survivors of domestic violence. During college, I became involved with Voices of Hope, a non-profit in Lincoln, Nebraska that provides confidential, 24-hour services that empower those who have experienced relationship violence, sexual assault, incest, stalking, and other related forms of abuse. I have volunteered over 650 hours answering the 24-hour crisis line which fields over 7,500 calls annually. This experience has deepened my understanding of the prevalence of domestic violence and the importance of education on the topic. There is currently an urgent need to raise awareness about domestic violence and it has inspired me to take more action. I believe that raising awareness about domestic violence begins with education. I plan to use the knowledge and experiences I have gained from working on the crisis line to spread awareness of the misconceptions surrounding domestic violence. I also plan to use my platform to spread educational materials and resources in my community. I will strive to create my platform as a safe space to have open discussions about domestic violence. I hope the creation of this space will empower individuals to recognize the signs of abuse, support survivors, and take preventative measures. Through outreach, I aim to reduce the stigma surrounding domestic violence and create an environment where survivors feel safe and empowered to seek support and help as needed. As I move to Milwaukee and on to graduate school in the fall, I will also be seeking out the opportunity to get involved with domestic violence awareness in the Wisconsin community. I plan to reach out to and connect with local organizations such as the Milwaukee Women's Center, Sojourner Family Peace Center, and other advocacy groups dedicated to addressing domestic violence in Milwaukee. By volunteering my time and skills to the Milwaukee community, I hope to contribute to local initiatives, education, campaigns, and support services. Influenced by my work in Lincoln, I am committed to making a difference in the domestic violence sphere and supporting survivors in the Milwaukee community. By working alongside professionals and engaging in local activism, I aim to deepen my understanding, expand my network, and contribute to raising awareness and combating domestic violence. Working on the crisis line at Voices of Hope has been an informative experience and has motivated me to make a lasting impact in the fight against domestic violence. By using the knowledge I have gained and the connections I have made, I will actively work to raise awareness through education, collaboration, and fostering a safe space for survivors. Through these efforts, I hope to empower individuals, decrease the stigma, and provide support to survivors. I hope to create a community that is educated, compassionate, and committed to breaking the cycle of domestic violence.

During my undergraduate career, I dedicated myself to fostering advocacy, resilience, and peer support within the well-being space. As a freshman, I became involved with Big Red Resilience & Well-Being, the well-being office on campus. I volunteered as a well-being ambassador where I held office hours to meet one-on-one with peers to promote mental health and well-being. In this position, I promoted the 10-dimension model of well-being (creative, cultural, career, financial, intellectual, emotional, environmental, physical, social, and spiritual well-being). Additionally, I assisted with outreach, presentations, and promotional events to bring awareness to mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding it. As a well-being ambassador, I had the opportunity to work with students struggling with an array of different challenges. From cancer, the loss of a parent, homesickness, roommate conflicts, COVID isolation, and learning difficulties, to mental health struggles, I worked with students facing a variety of diverse and complex circumstances. This experience taught me the importance of patient-centered care and how to adapt support to each individual. Through active listening, empathetic response, and personalized support, I focused on patient-centered care and value-based decision-making. I empowered students to set and reach goals that were attainable for them to begin their journey to personal wellness. During my time as an ambassador, I identified a gap in our well-being research, there was a lack of demographic questions. The lack of demographic questions prevented us from understanding the well-being of underrepresented groups of students on our campus. Recognizing this opportunity to enhance our research and understanding, I combined my passion for advocacy with my senior thesis and collaborated with the director to address this gap in knowledge. By adding these questions and studying well-being over the course of a semester, I endeavored to understand the impact of college on student well-being. The experience allowed me to develop crucial research skills, like formulating research questions, navigating the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process, undergoing CITI training, and understanding the complexities of recruitment, retention, and data analysis. This research ignited a passion for research and advocacy for underrepresented groups who face barriers to accessing essential healthcare services that I hope to continue in graduate school. In addition to my direct impact on peers and research, I was asked to lead the well-being ambassadors during my final year in undergrad. I had the opportunity to really demonstrate my leadership skills through oversight of the well-being ambassador team, event coordination, and other professional opportunities like committee appointments. As a leader within the well-being office, I was responsible for fostering a collaborative and supportive team environment. I also ensured that all ambassadors were equipped with the necessary resources and training to effectively coach their peers. I facilitated weekly team meetings where we discussed resources, best practices, shared experiences, and brainstormed innovative ideas to enhance our reach on campus. By encouraging open communication and valuing diverse perspectives within the team, I aimed to create a safe environment to foster growth and well-being. Through my leadership oversight, I not only contributed to the well-being of students on campus but also to the well-being of the volunteer team. The knowledge and skills I accumulated in my role as a leader and an ambassador provide a solid foundation for my future career as a genetic counselor. I hope to combine my passion for advocacy by fostering a safe space for my future clients by engaging in difficult conversations with diverse groups of people and continuing to advocate for underrepresented groups of people. I will endeavor to make a positive impact and make a difference in their lives.

In graduate school, I am pursuing a Master of Science in Genetic Counseling with the goal of becoming a Genetic Counselor after graduation. I believe a career in Genetic Counseling would bring me fulfillment in many ways through helping individuals and families, creating emotional connections and support with others, combining my passion for science with my passion for advocacy and education, lifelong learning, and contributing to research within the field. Helping individuals and families is one of the most notable ways Genetic Counselors feel fulfilled after work. Genetic counselors provide support, guidance, and education to individuals and families who are navigating complex information. They play a crucial role in empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their genetic health and genetic testing options. The opportunity to support individuals and families struggling with complex genetic results by providing education and resources so that they can continue on their journey to wellness. Another way genetic counselors feel fulfilled in their careers is through the connections and support they build. Genetic counselors not only work closely with individuals and families to offer support, they also work closely with other genetic counselors and healthcare professionals. The ability to collaborate with these individuals to support individuals and families is essential in fostering a safe and productive work environment. The strong bonds formed with other professionals in the field help create an even strong support network for the genetic counselor and their patients. One way I know I will be fulfilled in this field is because it combines two of my passions; science and advocacy. Genetic counseling is at the intersection of genetics and healthcare. As a genetic counselor, I would engage in both the science community through research and education as well as create connections with other professionals and patients. The blend of scientific knowledge and patient-centered care allows for the satisfaction of bridging the gap between expertise and patients. Additionally, education and learning have always fed my soul. The field of genetics is rapidly evolving, and genetic counselors are challenged to stay up-to-date with new research, technologies, discoveries, and ethics. The ability to be a lifelong learner in this role will help me develop not only as a counselor but as a person. I will also be challenged to add to the research and help find novel treatments and discoveries in the field to better the patient experience. Overall, genetic counseling will be a fulfilling career because it will allow me to create meaningful connections with my patients, their families, and my coworkers. It will help me combine my passions of science and advocacy and stay motivated from day to day. It will contribute to lifelong learning and collaboration and will challenge me to continue to adapt and change in a growing world. The aspects combined create a profession that will bring me personal growth, satisfaction, the opportunity to make a difference and leave a meaningful impact, and to help others navigate the complex and ever-evolving field of genetics.

Maintaining my well-being during college was essential to establishing my daily routine. To stay happy and healthy during college, I integrated self-care, healthy sleep habits, and time management into my daily schedule to help reduce stress and anxiety. By prioritizing these three things I was able to maintain a healthy balance and enhance my educational experience contributing to my personal and academic successes. The first way I manage my well-being is through self-care practices. The ways I engage in self-care are by engaging in regular exercise like tennis, lifting, and going for walks. These help me reduce my stress while also increasing my energy levels. It helps to rejuvenate me both mentally and physically. Another self-care habit I engage in is gratitude journaling. After the end of every day, I use an app on my phone to write down three things that I was thankful for that day and including how those things made me feel. Gratitude journaling is a way for me to debrief after a long day but to also remember the good in each day. The second way I manage my well-being is through healthy sleep habits. I have established a consistent sleep routine. This routine allows me to get six to eight hours of quality sleep each night. This routine allows me to regulate my body's internal clock so that each day I feel refreshed and rejuvenated. I optimize my bedroom for sleep by making sure that it is dark, quiet, and cold. This way I can get the best sleep I can. The third way I manage my well-being is through time management. I use effective time management techniques, like having a daily to-do list, keeping an up-to-date calendar, and prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance. Keeping the list and calendar helps me to stay organized from day to day and prevent overwhelming workloads. Additionally, to cut down on becoming overwhelmed, I set realistic goals for accomplishing work. I do this by breaking large projects down into smaller tasks and manageable goals which also allows me to stay motivated. By allocating time to study, I try to maintain a healthy balance between my academics and self-care. I incorporate self-care into my time management as well, by taking regular breaks during study sessions to prevent burnout. During these breaks, I prioritize moving my body by taking a walk or recharging my energy by spending time with my friends. Maintaining my wellness significantly contributes to my success as a college student. By engaging in self-care practices, maintaining a sleep schedule, and effectively managing my time, I can improve my focus, concentration, and overall cognitive function. This helps me absorb and retain information more effectively, alleviate stress and anxiety, and increase resilience. By maintaining my well-being, I am better able to handle life stressors, I am more motivated and alert, and I able better able to handle any challenges I may face. Ultimately, maintaining my well-being helps me to thrive both academically and personally.