Why did you choose to attend Bowdoin?
Growing up in Southern California, neither I nor many of my peers even knew Bowdoin existed. I knew I wanted to attend an academically rigorous school with small class sizes, but when Coach Cady first reached out to me during the recruiting process, I was certain I’d be going in another direction. But when I made it to campus, had my first “Bowdoin Hello,” and Coach Cady made me and my parents full belly laugh for the first time in the recruiting process, I knew I’d found my new home.
What is the best thing about being part of the NESCAC?
The best thing about being part of the NESCAC is that so many of my classmates are just as interested in academics as I am, and just as interested in their respective sports, too. I couldn’t imagine attending a school that wasn’t filled to the brim with jock-y nerds (and nerdy jocks).
What is your dream job/career?
Well, last night I dreamt I was an astronaut, but the best-case (realistic) scenario for me is becoming a lawyer, specializing in data privacy laws. I’m interested in the international legal system, but I’m particularly passionate about American data privacy and protections for individuals against the use of their data in aggregate for profit. I think the French model of data protection and digital rights is the gold standard, and as a future legal scholar and computer scientist, my goal is to bring America to that same standard. I’d also love a workshop in my home; I’m a big fan of woodworking and can’t imagine growing old without the ability to build a table or make a bowl on a whim. So I guess I’d love to be a data protections lawyer with a workshop in her backyard (potentially on Mars).
What extracurricular activities or service activities do you participate in?
On campus, I’m part of the Athletes of Color Coalition, our Bowdoin Student Athletic Advisory Council, RISE (a female empowerment group on campus), Bowdoin Women in Computer Science, and the Orient (our newspaper), where I serve as the Digital Director. I fell into pretty much all of these clubs – as a student-athlete, a woman of color, and a woman in STEM, I gravitated toward AoCC, BSAAC, and BWiCS naturally. My role on the Orient came in part because of previous columns I’d written, but I was introduced to the newspaper because I happen to be roommates with the Orient’s Editor in Chief, Halina Bennet. I tend to get involved in any and everything that catches my eye, and I’ve met some of my closest friends doing so. I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve been in a volleyball program that prioritizes excellence and also allows its players to explore their interests outside of school or sports.
Is there anything special about your uniform number?
I’ve got a bit of a superstition around the number 5 – it feels more whole and grounded than any other digit 0-9. I’ve been number 5, 15, or 25 my entire career as an athlete, and I consider numbers that end in 5 to be particularly lucky.
What is something you enjoy doing that you never get tired of?
I love to re-read familiar (comic) books – I’m partial to the Killing Joke, a Batman comic that I’ve read about 50 times (in fact, just writing about it makes me want to re-read it again). I also love naps – there’s no limit to the number of times I’ll head back to my room to lie with my face down in between classes.
What has been your favorite class outside of your major?
I have absolutely loved all of the philosophy classes I’ve taken at Bowdoin – my favorite non-major course I’ve ever taken was Epistemology, or the study of knowledge (how it’s acquired, and its metaphysical character). I like to think I take an epistemological approach to all of the things I study.
Who is your favorite professor?
My favorite professor is Barabara Elias, who taught the Introduction to International Relations course my first fall. Every class I’ve taken with her has been a delight; she’s one of the most intelligent and driven people I have ever met. A very close second is Aliosha Barranco-Lopez, a philosophy professor who taught me in a course on philosophical issues of gender and race. The two of them have shaped my intellectual pursuits more than either of them knows.
What is the greatest lesson you have learned from being a student-athlete?
The greatest lesson I’ve learned as a student-athlete is how to handle losing, both on and off the court. The ‘next play’ mentality permeates everything I do, both on the court and in the classroom. It comes in handy, because success for me is a series of little failures, and learning how to bounce back and let setbacks be learning moments has kept me afloat and thriving during my time at Bowdoin.
What is your favorite place on your campus?
I love to be on the quad in the early fall or late spring, while live music is playing from one of our student bands. I also enjoy wherever my bed ends up being, depending on the semester.
Who has been the most influential person to you during your time in college?
It’s hard to think of one specific influence during my time in college. I think I’m just a mix of all of the greatest traits of the people I’ve looked up to throughout my life. But I know that my professors, my coaches, and my teammates are all so wonderful that they make me want to be a better student, athlete, and friend every day.
