Degrees: B.A. in Music in Liberal Arts, Minors in Biology and Chemistry
How did the Stamps Scholarship help shape your undergraduate experience?
The Stamps Scholarship made it financially possible for me to attend Wake Forest, a dream that I’ve held since I was in elementary school. As a small liberal arts college with the resources of a major research university, WFU was the perfect place for me to develop academically, and the personal growth I’ve experienced in my time here (supplemented by summer enrichment funding and two incredible Stamps conferences) has been second to none.
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your freshman self?
Have a plan, but also have the courage to change direction if necessary. When I was a freshman, I had a very clear, regimented vision for my four years as an undergraduate: chemistry research and community service, leading towards medical school or PhD programs. Had I stuck to my original plan, I would’ve missed out on so many incredible opportunities for self-discovery that I’ve found through following my passions in music and the liberal arts.
Who has had the greatest impact on you throughout your college career and how so?
The WFU Department of Music as a whole has been an incredible resource for me, but I owe the most to my conducting professor, Dr. David Hagy. His patience and dedication have allowed me to make enormous strides as a musician and a leader, and I’ll always cherish the time we spent working together with the University orchestra, as well as directing the Theatre Department’s Spring 2018 production of the Broadway musical “Spring Awakening”.
What’s your favorite Stamps Scholar memory?
The summer after my junior year, I used Stamps enrichment funding to travel to Vienna, Austria and conduct independent research in music history. I surveyed dozens of sites (cathedrals, apartments, concert halls, etc) important to the careers of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, and gained a deeper appreciation for Viennese culture and the lives of these incredible artists.
What comes next?
I’ve accepted a one-year position as a Wake Forest Fellow, working closely with the University administration and developing programs and student initiatives for our new science facilities at Wake Downtown. I’m also beginning the process of applying to medical school and intend to matriculate in Fall 2019.
Please share your favorite inspirational quote.
“The best thing for being sad,” replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn.” —T. H. White, The Sword in the Stone