08-25-2025
When I first stepped onto Purdue’s campus, I felt a mix of excitement, nerves and hope. Growing up, I moved from Sydney, Australia, to Asheville, North Carolina, in my freshman year of high school. Going to college was the first time I would be moving somewhere alone. Still, something about Purdue had just clicked when my enthusiastic tour guide talked about having pride and joy in a school that truly cares about its students.
I came ready to be a part of it. In my first year at the Mitch Daniels School of Business, I dove into everything. I joined five professional organizations, maintained straight As and spent the majority of my time in the library. Coming from a family that hadn’t gone to university in the U.S., I put a lot of pressure on myself to make the most of the opportunity. Being too caught up in being the perfect student, I didn’t make time for the fun parts about being a Boilermaker.
My business school mentor, Katarina Nikolovski, pulled me and a friend aside. She told us to enjoy the college experience while we can. We were young and should balance having fun with our commitment to our studies. College wasn’t just about the classroom but about finding out who you are in the world. That moment changed the rest of my college career. I realized I had to give myself permission to breathe.
I took her advice to heart, and my friends exposed me to new experiences on campus. We had movie nights and girls’ nights, and I just enjoyed being around them. They supported me while I learned to prioritize balance in my college experience. I focused on what mattered most to me: leadership, mentorship and impact. I narrowed my involvement to just three organizations that I truly believed in. I kept these three organizations to reach all aspects of Purdue’s community: alumni, prospective students and current students.
The first organization I remained a member of is the Purdue Foundation Student Board (PFSB). As the recruitment and outreach vice president, I help represent Purdue’s student voice to alumni through events like football tailgates while educating current students about the importance of giving back. For example, we hold a “Skip Starbucks Day,” where something as small as students skipping a coffee one day and donating $5 makes a difference. The second organization I stayed committed to was the Business Ambassadors. It’s where I connect with prospective students during events and share my love for this business school.
Lastly, I stayed involved with the Brock-Wilson Center for Women in Business (BWC) because I had found an empowering community and incredible leadership opportunities. I joined in my first semester after receiving a scholarship connected to the center and quickly got involved. Over the years, I’ve chaired the leadership development committee and alumni committee, and now, I’m honored to serve as co-president for my senior year. This organization challenged me to grow as a student, leader and as a person.
The former BWC president told me she thought I’d be a great fit for the student board, and that pushed me to believe in myself and run for leadership roles. I was happy to prove her correct, and I’m honored to be this year’s co-president.
After meeting with Nikolovski, I decided to focus on finding an internship that catered to my business skillset but also directly helped people. A family member passed away because they weren’t aware of treatment options, so I’ve become very passionate about advocating for individuals to know every avenue of treatment. A BWC alumnus contacted me about a marketing internship with Eli Lilly in Indianapolis. On the Lilly marketing team, we’re helping real people learn about treatments that could save their lives. I’m constantly in awe of my team, full of brilliant and compassionate professionals, especially my supervisor on the breast cancer team. I’ve learned so much here, and I’m grateful that I’ve been putting my energy into meaningful experiences.
As I head into my senior year, I’m feeling a bittersweet mix of excitement and sadness. I look back on my years at Purdue, and I’m forever grateful to my mentor and friends who helped me find balance and enjoy life as a college student. I want my last year to be full of new experiences in and out of the classroom.
