Outreach and Community Involvement
Community Volunteering in Colorado
I am dedicated to being active in my community, both in STEM outreach and on other issues I care about. I have served as a "big sister" mentor at Ball Aerospace and was paired with a CU aeropsace undergraduate mentee. I have volunteered through the Area Agency for Aging in Boulder County, meeting with a senior citizen weekly to provide conversation and companionship. Out Boulder is Boulder's LGBTQ+ pride organization and I have helped with several of their events. Additionally, I have participated in two trail-building projects near Buena Vista Colorado to give back to the trails I spend so much time hiking.
Women in Physics (Co-President, previously Secretary General)
My interest in astronomy outreach started though my astronomy club at home in Iowa. I continued my efforts in STEM outreach as a Women in Physics board member in undergrad as Secretary General, then Co-President. The WiP mission is to support women pursing degrees in physics or related fields and to break down stereotypes of women in STEM. Throughout the semester, we organize conferences specifically for women in physics to build a community and present their work, study halls to work through homework collaboratively, and special events with Yale faculty and other role models in the field. As co-president, I helped shape the future direction of the group to help us reach more women in STEM, both at Yale and in the local New Haven community.
The Women in Physics page here provides information about our initiatives and events.
Camp Kesem (Head Counselor of Unit)
Camp Kesem Yale is a student-run non-profit on campus with the purpose of sending kids to camp every summer, completely free of charge, who have parents with cancer. My role in this organization is two-fold. In my main position as counselor, I lead a cabin of children in camp activities for a week every summer and help to build a strong community among fellow counselors and campers. Taking on the responsibility of Head Counselor for Camp 2017, I kept constant communication with the other student leaders and served as the liason between counselors and the administration team. Serving also as a Development Committee member during my first year at camp, I was able to work on various public affairs projects, setting up profit shares with local businesses as well as raising money through different student-organized fundraisers.
Find out more, view pictures from camp, or donate at the Camp Kesem Yale page here.
Yale Precision Marching Band (Section Leader and Class Representative)
Having been an enthusiastic clarinetist since age 10, I decided to continue pursuing music by joining the Yale Precision Marching Band (YPMB) in college. As a leader in this high-energy group, I organize the upper woodwind section with music, drills, and other needs during performances Rehearse and perform at Yale football, hockey, and basketball games. I also serve as the point person for our class, planning class events and dinners regularly.
Click here to visit the Yale Bands website and view our current performance schedule.