At a very young age in Pittsburgh, PA, I followed my older sister and brother's footsteps and became very actively involved in athletics.  Due to my parents’ guidance, success academically was considered the top priority and I quickly learned how to balance both academics and athletics.  As I became a high school student at North Hills High School, this task became more difficult.  I was a varsity athlete on the Women's Soccer team, the Women's Swim Team, and the Women's Track and Field Team.  However, I was also an honors and AP student, as well as an officer in several school clubs and organizations.  Therefore, during high school, my experience required that I fine-tune my ability to balance academics and extra-curricular activities in order to reach the level of success I desired.

    This background enabled me to succeed as an undergraduate at Bloomsburg University.  I was an honors student with an overall cumulative GPA of 3.54 with a double major in English and Political Science.  My success in the classroom was rewarded by an offer to join the Honors Program, which ultimately led to my graduating with Honors distinction following the completion of an undergraduate honors thesis.  I chose to narrow my athletic pursuits to the sport of swimming during college.  My level of success if highlighted by being awarded three NCAA Division II All-America Awards.  My experience as a student-athlete was enriched by a teaching and research assistantship, internships, involvement on the Student-Athlete Advisory Board, and service as vice-president of Bloomsburg University's Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

    Upon completion of college, I continued my education by pursuing a Masters of the Arts at Lehigh University in Secondary Education, English and Social Studies, during which my cumulative GPA has been a 3.6.  I also served as the graduate assistant coach of Lehigh University Men and Women's Swim Teams.  During my two years at Lehigh, my education was further enriched by a teaching internship at area school districts, through involvement in several of Lehigh University Summer Sports Camps, and through service as a facilitator and leader in the Outdoor Adventure Program for incoming freshman.

     My current areas of interests, based on research I began at Bloomsburg University and continued at Lehigh University, include:

Athletes and Academic Achievement

     I am attracted to the field of athletes and academic achievement.  My graduate research proposal focused on this topic.  More specifically, my proposal involved the evaluation of curriculums concerning athletes and academic achievement, among other topics, in an effort to determine their effectiveness and success.

The Freshman Experience

     I am interested in the field of the freshman experience because of its uniqueness and its importance in terms of retention of students.  I was involved in this field during my teaching and research assistantship at Bloomsburg University.  Furthermore, this topic has been discussed in meetings of the Lehigh University Athletic Department's Leadership Committee and it has been the focus of the Lehigh University's outdoor pre-orientation trips on which I have been an instructor.
 

Team-Building and Leadership Development

     I am enticed by the concepts of team-building and leadership development.  In my experiences as an assistant swimming coach, an instructor on pre-orientation outdoor trips and X-Team exercises, and as a member of Lehigh Athletic Department's Leadership Committee, I have been involved in both the theoretical and practical applications of this topic.
 

Collegiate Swimming

     I am interested in the field of coaching collegiate swimming.  I enjoy all aspects of the profession including coaching, recruiting, mentoring, management, and administrative duties.  I have actively pursued opportunities for professional development in this profession.  For this reason, I applied for and was chosen as an American Swimming Coaches’ Association Fellow.
 
 
 

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