Specialties: International Baccalaureate Advising, Students of Color, First Generation, Students with Accommodations
Proud Jumbo here! As a first generation, low income, mixed race, Black woman, I was accepted into the school of my dreams (an absolute reach) Tufts University through the BLAST (Bridge to Liberal Arts Success at Tufts) Scholars Program in the spring of 2013. I became a dedicated member of the Tisch Scholars for Civic Life early on which presented a space to challenge myself and further drive my ambition toward social justice.
In the academic sphere at Tufts, I gained perspective on how my passions and curiosities for the world and people's engagement within the society around them could be channeled as form of study, building frameworks to recognize patterns in society. My course of study allowed me to align all my passions by further connecting my sociology major to the study of social inequalities embedded within patterns of society.
Daunted by the rigorous academic curriculum yet supported through a plethora of resources and opportunities, my time at Tufts, though challenging, was both life changing and life defining. Having been award one the highest honors in the University, The Presidential Award for Civic Life, was a testament to community of people and peers who unconditionally upheld, uplifted, and empowered me to persevere amongst rigorous academic pursuit.
I could not have graduated from Tufts University without the resources and support systems I had access to, and upon graduating in 2017, I eagerly joined the Americorps Service Program, The College Advising Corps at Boston University (CAC-BU), where I served at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school in Boston, MA.
During my two years of service with CAC-BU I received over 600 hours of college advising training engaging with all aspects of the college application and matriculation process. We received in depth training for leaders across higher education in the East Coast region, gaining perspective on admissions trends across the country.
In my IB school placement, I managed a caseload of 100+ upperclassmen, providing both individual and group advising by teaching the 11th and 12th grade advisory classes and coordinating and leading more than 20 college campus visits per year. In my second year of service I took on a more direct leadership role on the program development side of CAC-BU as the chair of the Adviser Training Committee. In this role, I facilitated 15 college adviser workshops and was selected to give a presentation on near-peer advising with vulnerable student populations during the College Advising Corps national conference.
I continued to work for the school and the Boston Public Schools District, until June 2020, when I relocated to my current location in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I have continued providing college advising support in different capacities and now work at a racial and gender equity centered non-profit organization.