Education is an extremely important factor in my life.

It’s no secret that I love school and that I love to learn.

As a child, my parents had always pushed me to be the best version of myself.

Despite this, I struggled in mathematics and science.

On the other hand, however, I always had a knack for history and English.

I can still remember the time in my life where I fell in love with history and literature.

In 2016, I was a mere 16 years old.

I was now fully settled into Holy Name High School in Parma Heights, Ohio.

At the end of my freshman year, my mother thought it would be useful for me to take part in the College Credit Plus program, and I will always be thankful I did.

I was then enrolled for several classes in literature and history.

The teacher who taught history was widely rumored to be exceedingly eccentric and very strict.

Little did I know at the time that he would soon become my favorite teacher at Holy Name, and eventually the reason why I am where I am today.

Throughout my time in both classes, I became enamored with the ways that American history and literature aligned.

I became obsessed with both subjects and with the help of the Hamilton soundtrack and Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” I was the top dog in both classes.

My final project for honors English was a poster in which you had to create a collage of what you envisioned the American dream to look like.

I remember going all out printing at least 70 photos and buying Americana stickers.

To this day I believe that project started my love for planning projects and my appreciation for American culture and literature.

I found myself becoming more and more involved in in-class discussion and at times, I corrected the teacher that had been there since 1977.

After taking almost all classes possible with Joe Ehrbar, the teacher that changed my life, I knew that my career path in life was now very clear.

I wanted to become a History teacher.

My parents told me that as a child I had always been fascinated with cameras.

I always felt a personal connection to the art of photography.

On my 16th birthday, Oct. 5th, 2016, I was given my first camera, a Canon Rebel T5I.

Since then, that camera has been at my side for almost everything.

One day, I hope to become a photographer specializing in personal photography for weddings, families, seniors and local events.

Ultimately, my goal is to capture the memories of many people and their life events.

When my junior year rolled around, I was still sure that I wanted to be a Musical Theatre major.

I was sure that I wanted to stay at home for college and audition for Baldwin Wallace’s program.

Things changed when I took part in my junior year career shadowing experience.

I first shadowed at my grade school alongside my former eighth-grade social studies and language arts teacher and I very much enjoyed my time there.

I then shadowed at the secondary level my senior year.

This past winter for my senior year career experience, I shadowed at Fairview High School in Fairview, Ohio.

After that day, I knew that I really wanted to become a history teacher and sure that I wanted to teach history at the secondary level.

This leads me to where I am today.

I first came to Mercyhurst this past December on a class trip and something within me knew that I had to go here.

The following weekend, my mother and friend Zach came up to Mercyhurst again for Fall Visit Day, once again very much enjoying it.

It wasn’t until February however, that I officially became a Laker.

That day, I met many of my future professors and friends and I’m now right where I’m supposed to be: a first-year History major here at Mercyhurst.

On the other hand, my love for planning things and taking pictures has gotten me to pursue a double major in Hospitality Event Management and a minor in Photography.

I am incredibly grateful for Mercyhurst University and all it has done for me now and what it will do for me in the coming years.