I am a fourth-year honors psychology student, graduating this Spring term 2026. I am involved in the Applied Social Cognition Lab on campus, where I conducted research and successfully defended my thesis titled “Engagement in Yoga Among College Students: Examining the Impact of Race and Attire on Instructor Credibility, Demeanor, and Cultural Attitudes,” where I explored the complex interplay of appearance and perceptions. It is available to read on OSU’s honors college archive.
I work as a student assistant both at Oregon State University’s Marigold Contemplative Studies Center and Oregon State University’s School of Psychological Science. I am a member of Psi Chi - an international honors society for psychology -, psyched-out club, and HR/ Management Association club.
I am passionate about wellness, and I love to lift weights, go for walks, do yoga, meditate, journal, read, cook, draw, and listen to music. My favorite thing to do is travel and learn about new cultures and languages.
My love for traveling is why I sought out the CLA Experiential Learning Scholarship. In the Fall of 2024, I was lucky enough to spend a term studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain. There, I fell in love with traveling: experiencing new cultures, trying new foods, and forming cross-cultural connections. During my time in Barcelona, I traveled to Italy, France, Scotland, and England.
Following this experience, I knew I wanted to continue to see and learn more about the world, but I didn’t anticipate any opportunity to do so. I was grateful for my experience in Europe, as I know that I saw more than many would see in their lifetime. However, there was a part of me that regretted not immersing myself in the culture more. I wanted to further my language skills and cultivate a deeper connection to the country in which I resided. One day at work, my supervisor, Jillian Coleman, shared with me a new program that OSU was seeking to start: a study abroad experience in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She urged me to investigate the program as it would align with the necessary psychology courses I needed to complete my degree. I was excited by the prospect of going abroad once more, but I knew that this experience would probably not come to fruition. I thought to myself, I’m a senior, I don’t have the funds to go, and I already had my time of exploration. Still, I looked into the application and fell in love with the possibilities that it could bring, and thus, by the end of that very day, I had submitted my application. I knew that it was not financially feasible to go without scholarships, so I told myself that if I was lucky enough to have this experience funded, I would go.
Among others, I was delighted to receive the CLA Experiential Scholarship, which allotted me $5000 to attend the study abroad program. My experience in Buenos Aires allowed me to do just as I hoped: I learned un montón de español, formed lifelong connections with locals, and continued my studies of psychology. Moreover, I garnered the ability to be adaptable, culturally sensitive, and to maintain curiosity in a multitude of spaces. This scholarship granted me the opportunity to finish out my undergraduate college journey in a different country and reinforced my interest in learning about various cultures, languages, and ways of life. My experience in Argentina strengthened my connection to the world around me and helped me realize that aspiration for exploration doesn’t have to be confined to one experience. There is a myriad of opportunities available, and with aid from scholarships like the CLA Experiential Scholarship, those desires can be fulfilled. And for that, I am tremendously grateful!