Major: Philosophy and Health Studies
Minor: Military Science
Hometown: Glocester, RI
Q. What makes the College of Arts and Sciences at URI unique?
A. The College of Arts and Science is unique at URI because it feels like a community. Not only was I able to repeat classes with a few professors, but I started to realize how many familiar faces I was seeing in my classes over the semesters. With this, I was able to make friends and feel a true connection to my major and my classes. The professors are all very personable and aware of how their classes relate to other classes within the major. Every time I took a health studies class, I picked up certain ways that it either lined up material in other classes I was taking, or supported classes I already completed. This helped to paint the bigger picture of what my major was truly about. A final reason that the College of Arts and Science is unique at URI are the courses that are offered. There was a lot of freedom for the classes that I had to take to meet requirements, so I was able to pick from a list of what interested me and was able to truly find out my passions within the college.
What accomplishments and/or activities at URI are you most proud of now?
I am technically a 5th year here at URI, but that is because of some schooling I missed for the military. I am most proud of how much I have found myself throughout the years. When I came here freshman year, I felt pretty lost. I no longer was playing soccer, my lifelong sport, and I really did not know what I wanted to major in. I have not only found myself, my passions, and my confidence in the Health Studies major but in my Philosophy one as well. Not only this, but I joined rugby my freshman year which I played all four years. Being able to balance rugby, the military, and two majors throughout school was not as hard as it seems, because they are all things I willingly picked up by following my passions. Like the saying goes “if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.
What do you value about your liberal arts education?
I value my liberal arts education because of how it can be applied to the real world. There is such a strong tie between my two majors and the community. The skills I have learned and the curriculum I have been through have a deeper meaning than just a “check in the box”. Not only have I learned what’s on the syllabus and in the textbooks, but I’ve learned how to apply it to real life. Whether that be working in the healthcare field helping others, or pursuing my passion for law and going to law school, I know my liberal arts education has given me the drive to be very involved in a community and helping others.
What’s next for you?
Not only do I graduate in May but I also commission as an officer in the Army, specifically with a finance fous to assist the JAG offices (military law offices). From here, I am going to be working on full time orders with the JAG offices of the RI Army National Guard to assist them in organizing projects and daily work. I will ship to Fort Jackson, NC in the beginning of 2022 for 3 months of training for the military to further quality my officer skills. This training is the reason I have to take a gap year before law school. When I return from training, I plan on attending law school full time in the fall of 2022 . Once I complete law school, I hope to switch over from assisting the JAG officers as a finance officer, to being an actual JAG officer.
Anything else you’d like to share?
For anyone that feels lost in what they want to do, or feels like their not doing life fast enough, it’s okay! The me walking into URI from freshman year is completely different from the me thats leaving and graduating. I’ve been through many major changes, joined the military, added a second major, contemplated what type of officer I wanted to be, and have been back and forth about grad school. I only got to where I am today by taking risks, making mistakes, failing, falling….but getting back up and thus having a better idea of where I wanted to go from there.