I was born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, and since I ultimately hope to end up back on the East Coast, I was eager to experience a new part of the country for my four years of college. I chose Grinnell for its strong pre-medicine program and tight-knit, down-to-earth campus community.
Exploring the world through the lens of global health
In my first semester, I applied and was fortunate to be selected for a Global Learning Program Tutorial on Global Health. This spring semester course was co-taught by a biology and sociology professor, and included 3.5 weeks of course-embedded travel to Costa Rica, Cuba, and Denmark.
In each of these places, we had the opportunity to interact with locals and local health officials, and in the process, learn about what healthcare looks like outside the United States. It was not only an incredible learning experience, but a bonding one as well. Outside our traveling classroom, we were able to play baseball, explore local cuisine, visit the beach... and our trip to Denmark coincided with the Champion’s League Final.
After arriving in San José, Costa Rica, we toured a geriatrics hospital and attended lectures with local physicians.
For the first two days in Cuba, we stayed in La Picadura, a rural farming community. After open-air lectures, we played pickup baseball and enjoyed incredible home-cooked pork, rice, and beans.
This photo came about because another student commented that the five of us, who were all wearing sunglasses, looked like we were in a band.
While in Cuba, we participated in a public health initiative that involved distributing contraceptives in a Havana park. It was a great opportunity to spread awareness and interact with local community members...and I got to practice my Spanish.
In Denmark, we toured the Kronborg Castle and took our first group photo since crossing the Atlantic.
On our last night in Odense, Denmark, we watched the sun set over the Odense Fjord before returning to Copenhagen, and then home.
Designing my own internship
In September of my second year, Mike and Kim Adamle came to speak at Grinnell about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease that commonly affects former professional athletes. Mike, who spent many years playing in the NFL, had recently begun sharing his experience living with CTE, and I was inspired by his story. After the presentation, I reached out via email and asked if they would consider hiring a student intern over spring break.
To my surprise, Kim was not only excited by the idea, but helped me design my own unique internship. She also invited me to the Concussion Legacy Foundation’s annual benefit dinner in Boston that October, where I met doctors and scientists who are at the forefront of CTE research and treatment. That spring break, I lived with the Adamles at their home in Illinois and helped develop an informational newsletter prior to the digital launch of RISE ABOVE, a community that provides resources and support for individuals living with CTE and their families.
Finding a Home at the Bear
Even though I am not a varsity athlete, the Charles Benson Bear ’39 Recreation and Athletic Center has become one of my college homes. In my first semester, I began working as a Student Athletic Training Aide, assisting the full-time athletic trainers with field preparations, treatment set-up, and other supporting tasks. I have had the opportunity to travel with our Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams, and I also help supervise NCAA contests at Grinnell.
During my first year, I also decided to become a lifeguard instructor, and was eventually asked to serve as one of the head guards at the College pool. In addition to helping lead trainings for our student staff, I put my instructor’s license to use over the summers, certifying lifeguards at a camp in New Hampshire.
Through the lens: Iowa politics up close
As the visual editor for Grinnell’s student newspaper, the Scarlet & Black (S&B), I was fortunate to get a front-row seat to the presidential primary process. Over the course of four months, I met, interviewed, and photographed numerous contenders for the Democratic nomination, including Vice President Joe Biden, Tom Steyer, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Andrew Yang.
From my first event, where I was nearly denied entry due to my "dinky camera", to the last — where CNN apologized for blocking my shot — I will never forget the energy of experiencing candidates and their campaigns firsthand leading up to the Iowa caucus.
Passing Lane
A 19-hour collaborative playlist that powered us from Grinnell to Tuscon and around the American West.
The same day Grinnell announced that we wouldn’t be returning to campus after Spring break, the disappointment was offset with some good news; I got the summer internship I’d applied for! I spent the summer after my junior year working as an Asset Management Intern with The RMR Group in Newton, MA. Over nine weeks, I got hands-on experience with numerous aspects of asset management. In addition to auditing quarterly financial statements, I was able to help create a 10-year capital expenditure database for one of the nation’s largest senior living providers. As a bonus, since Massachusetts had declining COVID numbers by the end of the summer, I even got to work from the office for the last three weeks!
