Core Values
What Underlying Values Inform What I Do and Why I Do It?
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Compassion
To me, a compassionate person feels deeply for others and does all they can to let these feelings motivate them to dedicatedly care for others. When I listen and see others through the lens of compassion, I feel a renewed desire to figure out how to see things from their perspective and partner with them through whatever they are going through. Compassion also gives me a love for listening to other’s stories, and student-centered work is a big area I commit my time to because of the diversity of people I get to learn from and serve.
Grace
I see grace as the continuous act of maintaining and acting by one’s values even when under extreme pressure, and as extending encouragement, partnership, compassion, and second chances to others even when they may seem undeserved. My leadership, work, and educational opportunities all center around serving people, which means that there are many times that even if I have an off day or am becoming frustrated by someone around me, this foundation of grace anchors me and pushes me to continue to keep moving forward and keep seeing the potential in myself and an others around me.
Dependability
Dependability encompasses trustworthiness, reliability, and steadfastness, which are all attributes I value in others and therefore do my best to live out personally as well. Particularly because of my passion for student-centered work, I believe dependability is extremely important as students often need something consistent amidst their transitions, and to me, the steadfastness that comes with dependability is my way of offering them a constant.
Adaptability
Adaptability is effective navigation of change. Unexpected things happen all the time in life, and the things do not go according to plan, it can be easy to dwell on what happened and why instead of planning how to move forward. Adaptability allows me to see the unexpected as an exciting problem to solve through instead of only as a setback. I also think that adaptability doesn’t mean just adjusting and moving forward in unexpected situations, but that it also means being adaptable in personal attitudes and approaches. When working in collaborative settings or people-centered positions, I have realized that showing adaptability in my interactions is key to fostering positive connections and engaging in productive and insightful relationships.
Courage
A quote that has become a mantra for my life is a quote from the movie We Bought A Zoo: “Sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” In moments where I feel overcome by fear or overwhelm due to pressure, big decisions, or general overwhelm and uncertainty, I think of this quote, take a deep breath, and figure out a way to do the next thing that will allow me to move forward. To me, courage is just as important in the small steps and the hidden moments that others might not see, and I seek to live a life defined by courage in the face of uncertainty and obstacles so that I can inspire others I interact with to keep moving forward too