What are you doing now?
I’m earning my degree from Trine University in Angola, Indiana. I’m pursuing my Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA). My academic life is very rigorous. Master’s-level classes are more strict and detail-oriented than I was expecting. It’s hard, fulfilling work and teaches me real-life experiences.
I was never the type to ask for help until I came here and realized that I can’t cruise through life knowing everything on my own. I figured out that if you are trying and failing you are doing the right thing because failing is better than not trying.
I take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. I attend every networking event and job fair and plan to leave college “Every hand shook and baby kissed” because you never know who you might meet who can give you an opportunity later in life.
My social life is non-existent because school takes up most of my time. Sometimes my friends and I will go bowling or visit Chicago but mostly I focus on school.
You are President of the Black Student Union, Vice President of the Trine Muslim Association, Vice President of the Trine Student Marketing Association and you host a Black Student Union podcast…in addition to your studies. How do you manage to do it all?
Taking on these leadership roles has taught me time management and how to use weekly planners. I use my outlook calendar to organize my day. Sometimes I’ll be doing a task and then the reminder pops up, and it’s really helpful. My leadership also taught me what to prioritize and how to say no.
Trine is in a very rural area and isn’t very diverse. The Black Student Union’s main objective is to uplift the Black community and give Black students a safe space and give under-represented students a voice on campus.
How did WHS prepare you for your current success?
I really enjoyed how we did speeches and presentations instead of exams. In business school, we give more speeches than anything else. WHS taught me to be an effective communicator. it took confidence and practice to get up there and fight the urge to sit back down. Anyone can take an exam but getting up and speaking coherently to a room full of people about your learning takes courage!
In Winooski, we also excelled at creating interpersonal relationships and friendships, which is a skill I’ve brought with me to college.
I like to think I’m living proof of what Winooski has been able to accomplish.
Advice for current students?
Wake up early! You only have so much time in a day. There are only 24 hours and 7/8 are for sleeping. School classes are only a few hours a day so make sure you focus. Make sure you make time to grind, time to sit down, and time to take care of your mental health and figure out what is going to make you continue to strive.
You should plan the day so you aren’t reacting to what is going on but you have planned for what’s going on.
My other advice is: Talk to everyone. Join clubs. Speak up. It might be hard at first but you have to get through the “no” to get to the “yes”.
Fondest memory of WSD?
I have great memories of the breakfast break between the first and second class. They gave us 20 minutes to talk to our friends in the morning in the hallway. I also have good memories of lunchtime in Mrs. Poquette’s class.
I remember I used to fake sickness so I could go take a nap in the health office. I’d nap, get some crackers, and go back to class. Then they caught on and I didn’t get away with it anymore!
Why do you heart WSD?
Winooski School District is a family. It’s so small you are forced to know everyone (in a pleasant way). Mr. McQuinn, Mr. Lit, Mr. McNally, Mr. Clark, and Ms. Poquette, they were all easy to talk to and so friendly. We were a very tight-knit group.
I want to remind students to be nice to their teachers because they will miss them in the years ahead. Now that I’m able to friend my high school teachers on Facebook it’s nice to see what they’ve been up to and share memories.