Hometown:
Franklin, TN
For as long as I can remember, I loved the idea of going to school and building a career. However, I often felt out of place compared to everyone else because my interests and hobbies never seemed to point me in one obvious direction. I loved learning new things and participating in different extracurricular activities, but I never felt like I had one standout strength or interest. As I grew older and began working in various part-time jobs, I started to understand more about myself as an employee. I quickly realized I thrive in environments where I can take charge and owning my own business was something I wanted to work toward in the future.
Exploration Experience: For as long as I can remember, I loved the idea of going to school and building a career. However, I often felt out of place compared to everyone else because my interests and hobbies never seemed to point me in one obvious direction. I loved learning new things and participating in different extracurricular activities, but I never felt like I had one standout strength or interest. As I grew older and began working in various part-time jobs, I started to understand more about myself as an employee. I quickly realized I thrive in environments where I can take charge and owning my own business was something I wanted to work toward in the future.
After graduating high school, it was time to choose a major. With little knowledge about my goals, I decided business was the direction I wanted to pursue. What I did not realize was choosing business would lead to even more decisions about which specific path was right for me, and I often felt inadequate trying to answer those questions. After my first year of school, I served as a volunteer missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California. During my mission, I gained a deeper understanding of my strengths and discovered one of the things I am best at is working with people. My love and appreciation for others grew, and I began to recognize the skills and gifts I had been blessed with. I knew I wanted to incorporate those strengths into my education and, eventually, my career.
After returning home from my volunteer mission, I explored the different business programs BYU offers and found a major that aligned with both my values and goals for the future: experience design and management. This major will allow me to develop the business knowledge and experience I will need to pursue my entrepreneurial goals while also focusing on what I discovered matters most to me—people. I am excited by the opportunity to apply to the program this next summer so I can learn alongside others who value creating meaningful experiences and build a career where I can use my strengths, connect with people, and keep them at the forefront of my work.
Why is Exploring Important to Me? In my life, the more effort I have put into exploring, the more I have come to understand the potential I have to achieve the things I hope for. In my life, exploring has looked like lots of different things. As I have tried to seek guidance from those around me, I have understood they not only have my best interest in mind but can also help me see myself in a way I haven’t before. I am grateful for Exploration Point and the opportunity it gives students to see their potential and gain their own witness to the importance of exploring!
Looking Back: Since I never really felt there was a clear path for me growing up, finding direction was deeply empowering, and I am truly grateful for the sense of security I have gained along the way. However, if I were to go through the major exploration process all over again, I would approach it with a completely different mindset. Looking back, I wish I had taken full advantage of the specialized support systems and campus tools designed specifically for exploring students much earlier in my journey. I used to think I had to navigate every decision process on my own, which often led to unnecessary stress and delay. I now realize how crucial it is to ask big questions early, seek out thoughtful mentorship, and remember you never have to figure out your future entirely by yourself.
Favorites:
- Book: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Movie: Hannah Montana: The Movie
- Food: Street tacos
- Animal: Bald eagle
- Color: Pink
Does Pineapple Belong on Pizza? Is the sky blue?
Boring Fact About Me: I'm left-handed.
Hobbies:
- Being outside
- Going to the gym
- Hanging out with my friends
- Shopping