Who I am:

Originally, I come from a small agricultural town in Southern California named Wasco. I followed my grandfather and father’s example and joined the U.S. military. I served as a Security Forces member in the U.S. Air Force and lived and worked in Turkey, Italy, Kuwait, and Germany. After my discharge, I attended community college, completed three associate degrees, and transferred to Amherst College, where I graduated with a bachelor’s in history and in Sexuality, Women’s & Gender Studies. Most recently, I received my master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on poetry as well as a certificate of advanced study in the European Union and Contemporary Europe. I like writing horror stories, reading about global nuclear policy, connecting with disparate disciplines, and immersing myself in the unknown. As an ETA in Poznań, Poland, I will seek to build, foster, and strengthen community through language, and find ways to grow and learn with my students and peers.

My Fulbright grant focuses on:

I will be teaching English in the Faculty of Polish and Classical Philology at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland. Outside the classroom, I will be learning Polish, creating or supporting a creative writing group, and attempting to connect with Polish veterans through the Polish Society of War Veterans.

I decided to apply for a Fulbright grant because:

I applied for a Fulbright grant to Poland because I wanted to experience Polish art, culture, and life firsthand while teaching in the Polish academic community. I also wanted the opportunity to serve my country once more by contributing to and strengthening U.S.-Polish ties

After completing my Fulbright grant I would like to:

After completing my Fulbright grant, I will apply to master’s programs in International Relations. While applying to programs, I will finish my horror novel and teach creative writing and English composition.