Professional Development
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Professional Development |
Thread Magazine
USF Student Government
Co-Editor-In-Chief Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
Leading Thread Magazine during the 2024-2025 academic year has been an incredible experience. This year we designed open-mic nights with local museums in Tampa, created two special editions of Thread Magazine with the Spooky Shorts and Occult editions, and crafted our Vol. XX release event to showcase the talents of all 50+ of our contributors.
Teaching Assistant
Museum of Science & Industry
Summer 2024
I had the opportunity to work as a TA for the Museum of Science and Industry over the summer of 2024. I taught math, science, and engineering to students aged 5 to 17, prioritizing their safety and enjoyment. One of the most rewarding parts of the job had to be interacting with the students and seeing them grow. Every day, I would teach teamwork and communication through daily basketball tournaments. Witnessing the students slowly embrace some of these important developmental skills made leaving back to school in the fall very difficult.
Black Wellness Club
President & Co-Founder
Spring 2023 - Spring 2025
In Spring 2023, I alongside a small cohort of three other students started USF’s first mental health organization specifically targeted for African, African-American, and Black individuals. The mission of the USF Black Wellness Club is to establish a space for Black and African American students to discuss and learn about mental health and its many different constructs and then apply it to their lives as a person of color. Black wellness is to provide a space for evidence-based information and resources about mental health and behavioral health topics from a Black perspective and to decrease the mental health stigma in the Black community by providing a safe, welcoming space for Black students.
As president, I led and designed workshops on Anxiety, Communication, Depression, Trauma, and Burnout while also collaborating and holding community with other Black student organizations such as the Black Student Union (BSU), My Perspective, Women of Today - Leaders of Tomorrow, and the Pan-African Party (PAP.)
Institute on Black Life
University of South Florida
Student Intern | Spring 2025
In my final semester at the University of South Florida, I was privileged to be hired by Dr. David Ponton III and Rebecca Sohl to spearhead an archival research project for the Institute on Black Life (IBL). This role provided me with a unique opportunity to collaborate with institutions such as the Lakeland Ledger, the Bartow Genealogy Center, and the Lakeland Public Library.
Through this partnership, I produced three impactful short documentaries that explored the intricate relationship between the church and racial progress in central Florida. Engaging deeply with hundreds of newspapers, photographs, and articles, I uncovered narratives that were not only rich in history but also profoundly relevant to my hometown. The experience was exhilarating, offering me a chance to contribute to a vital aspect of my cultural heritage. It was truly special to create something meaningful that would resonate within the community of Lakeland and across Florida.
To access the shorts, the link to the IBL Instagram and full length video is here.
Honors Peer Mentor Lead
Judy Genshaft Honors College
Spring 2023 - Fall 2024
All students entering the Judy Genshaft Honors College at USF must take honors foundations. This entry course is facilitated, built, and taught by Honors Peer Mentor Leads. As a member of the Wellness and Retreat committee, I had a blast organizing touchpoints designed to grow peer mentors’ teaching and curriculum-building skills while fostering community and open discussion.
Having taught the course for two years, I received exceptional feedback on my pedagogy from both my supervisors and my students. My guiding philosophy is that every class should leave students feeling inspired to explore more of each concept. Whether it be professionalism, involvement, or everyday life skills, my students finished the course ready to take on college.
USF Mock Trial Team
Attorney & Social Media Chair
Fall 2022 - Spring 2024
During my Sophomore year, I competed and led the USF Mock Trial team to several competitions against Florida State University, University of Florida, Alabama University, Stetson, and Georgia State. Doing this allowed me to grow as an exceptional orator and skilled debater. Because of this, I was recognized with the Most Improved Attorney award during our annual end-of-year awards.
The following year I wanted to grow the team’s public scope as the Social Media Chair. Using Canva, Powerpoint, and social media spaces such as BullsConnect and Instagram I advertised practices, lectures, and pre-professional networking events.
Fulbright UK Summer Institute Recipient
Black Humanities Summer Institute
Summer 2023
Being selected for the Fulbright scholarship as an undergraduate was one of my proudest achievements. In a competitive 4-month application process, I earned a month-long scholarship to study Black history, arts, and culture at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. The Black Humanities Summer Institute Program immerses participants in the literature, history, and culture of Bristol, United Kingdom. Bristol was purposefully selected for its profound ties to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and its colonial history, making it an ideal location for exploring these critical themes. In Bristol, the program enables scholars to examine the rich cultural history that forms the basis for larger global discussions on race and the humanities.
The opportunity to travel and witness the remnants of the past in public art and re-examine their meaning to Black history further inspired me to interrogate how societies use public spaces to communicate historically significant events in further graduate study.
Resident Assistant
Spring 2023 - Spring 2025
Here, I have helped facilitate the administrative and personal development of over 60 students for the past two years. Living with my residents has allowed me to facilitate the intellectual, social, professional, and personal growth of my residents through events tailored to their needs, intentional conversations, and serving bi-weekly as 24-hour RA on Duty.
Stonecatchers
Fall 2022 - Present
Stonecatchers is a student organization at the University of South Florida dedicated to building future empathetic leaders through community service and dialogue. As a founding member and social-media chair, I proudly spread our message on Instagram, BullsConnect, and with other student organizations.
FSU Law Donald J. Weidner Summer for Undergraduates Program Recipient
Summer 2022
For a month at FSU Law, I along with a cohort of 60 students studied law school-level courses such as Criminal Procedure, Lawyers as Leaders, and Legal Writing. With daily training, I competed in oral debate in front of a panel of judges, networked with dozens of local lawyers, and presented research on family law opportunities in the U.S.
Publishing Assistant
Summer 2024
Working as a Publishing assistant for John Henry Publishers gave me the brass tabs on editing upcoming books, manuscripts, and poetry from author and former City Commissioner Henry Bouchot.
USF Debate Team
Spring 2022
Throughout my freshman year, I researched, argued, and competed against teams from across the country eventually leading to the Pacific Northwest Junior Debate Championship in Bellingham, Washington. With my colleagues, we placed 2nd overall.
Judy Genshaft Honors Choir
Fall 2021 - Present
Reestablishing the Judy Genshaft Honors Choir with some of my closest friends has been an absolute joy. As secretary I manage music, rent out the spaces for our performances, and keep track of paperwork necessary for the choir.