Hometown: Ridgewood, NJ

I chose URI because it offered me the best scholarship compared to my other acceptances. Honestly, I knew nothing about the university and had planned to attend Accepted Students Day in the spring of my senior year. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I never saw URI, or any part of Rhode Island, before move-in day that fall.

I was surprised by how perfectly the school suited me; I loved the size, the campus, being near the beach, and the fact that I could always see someone I knew and make a new friend in the same minute. I really enjoyed going to a state school, as I think it teaches you a lot about collaborating with those of different backgrounds and learning from how fellow students work for what they have. I always found plenty of inspiration in my peers.

The best advice I have for current students is to remember that changing your mind does not equate to failing. Although I was a Health Studies major throughout the entirety of my four years, I was also on a Pre-Med track until halfway through my junior year when I finally accepted the fact that I didn’t want to attend medical school. I struggled with my anxiety throughout my first semester of that third year, trying to hold onto something I knew wasn’t right. When I finally said it out loud, I felt more relief than I could have imagined. Changing is not failing!

In my opinion, the greatest strength of this major is its versatility. You may start on the same path as your classmates and end up heading in completely different directions after graduating. There is no “right choice” – it’s all right. Apart from my studies, I was involved in the URI Honors Program, Alpha Delta Pi sorority, and the Panhellenic Council, where I served as Recruitment Chair and later Vice President of Recruitment during my final two years of school. I thoroughly enjoyed all these experiences, and I hope others will consider engaging in these paths as well.

This fall, I will begin graduate school at Fairleigh Dickinson University, pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Alongside my studies, I have accepted a position with FDU Athletics as a graduate assistant for student-athlete academic support. I look forward to bringing all that I’ve learned at URI with me to FDU and wherever else life takes me next!