What college or university did you attend after SAAS (or what did you pursue instead?) What did you major in? Did you get other degrees?
I attended Willamette University in Salem, OR and received a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology with a focus in global health in 2008.
What unique experiences have you had since leaving SAAS? Trips, internships, jobs, etc.
The most unique experience for me thus far was probably this past July (2014) when I traveled, solo, to Tanzania and climbed Mt Kilimanjaro. I had done lots of international traveling in the past, but never alone. It was a little nerve wracking traveling alone, to an area I had never been, to spend six days climbing the tallest free standing mountain in the world, with someone I had never met before! But it was one of the most incredible things I have ever done. Hiking through complete darkness, in temperatures well below zero, to reach the summit just in time for a sunrise revealing the curvature of the Earth is probably the most memorable moment of my life thus far.
What are your favorite memories from SAAS? What programs, teams, extracurriculars were you involved in while at SAAS? Who were your most influential teachers at SAAS?
I have so many memories from my years SAAS. As a student commuting from Vashon Island every day, I have many memories of early morning ferry rides and sprinting to catch the bus. But my fondest memories from SAAS are definitely from the Alaska trip in the summer of 2003 – I still tell stories about that trip on a regular basis! Also, while on the Alaska trip Canuche Terranella talked me into joining the cross-country team that fall, my senior year. I had never considered myself an athlete, but with awesome teammates and amazing coaches (Canuche, Halsey Bell and Pieter Salverda), I discovered a true passion for running that I still cling to today.
My most influential teachers were Tom Hajduk (sophomore and junior English) who helped me learn how to write persuasive essays, David Johns (advanced algebra and pre-calculus) who never let me give up no matter how frustrated I got or how many times I told him I hated math, Lauri Conner (senior English and electives) for teaching me how to find my voice and speak my mind, and Melinda Mueller (micro-biology) who helped me realize I really do love science!
Where are you now and what do you do? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? How did SAAS help prepare you for your job today?
I am currently pursuing my Masters in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine through University of Western States. I am also preparing for a 4 ½ month volunteer positon (starting the end of June) at the Maua Methodist Hospital in Maua, Kenya.