In our alumni spotlight series, learn about Harvard graduates' most meaningful experiences from college, and how Harvard impacted their professional and personal paths after graduation.
Hometown & Current City: I am from Connecticut, but I divide my time now between New Haven, New York City, and Barcelona, Spain
House Affiliation: Mather House
Concentration and Secondary Field: English, Government, Spanish Citation
Current Job Title/Company or organization: Founder and CEO / Lotus Premier Education
What was your professional path after college? I am so grateful for my path after college! As a senior at Harvard, I won the Shaw Fellowship for postgraduate travel which supports artistic endeavors abroad. On this fellowship, I moved to Barcelona, Spain and wrote my first poetry book. When I returned to the United States, I began mentoring students in writing. I found that I loved both teaching and entrepreneurship and founded my educational consulting and college advising company, Lotus Premier Education. In 2019, I received my master's in Education and Entrepreneurship from the UPenn GSE/Wharton. I've now published two poetry books, continue to run and scale my company, and perform at speaking engagements both for spoken word and as an entrepreneur.
What fills your time now? Professionally and otherwise? My fiancé and I love to travel, and moving between Barcelona, New Haven, and Manhattan as well as new places along the way brings us joy. I continue to read and write; I love to hike and explore the outdoors. I'm interested in yoga, meditation, and learning new languages.
How did your academic experience at Harvard guide you in your post-grad pursuits? My academic experience set the entire foundation for my professional life. I had amazing mentors who invested in me and cared about my journey. It is because of them that I started my career with such unique opportunities and really believed that anything was possible. They also gave me an unwavering confidence in myself to go out into the world and create my own path.
What was a favorite class you took and why? My favorite class was an English seminar with my thesis advisor, John Stauffer. He is a brilliant teacher and that class ignited my love for American modernism, introduced me to Willa Cather, and reinforced my desire to write.
Did you have any research/internship opportunities and/or professor/mentor relationships that were influential? My mentors were essential to the person I became after college, especially my thesis advisor, Professor John Stauffer. He invested immensely in me as a person, an academic, and a writer. He always made time for our meetings, encouraged me to apply for fellowships and write my first book, and taught me about the type of mentor I in turn hope to be for my students today. While at Harvard, I won three fellowships to pursue writing abroad and these changed my perspective of the world, my approach to art, and my sense of self.
What were you involved in extracurricularly? I was involved with many activities extracurricularly, but my two favorite were Strong Women, Strong Girls and Harvard's performance of Legally Blonde, the musical. Strong Women, Strong Girls brought undergraduates into local schools to mentor underserved communities and discuss important topics like friendships, body image, identity, and more. I participated in that for almost my entire college experience and found it incredibly rewarding. Performing in Legally Blonde was electric. The cast was dynamic, the show was beyond fun, and it was one of the most spectacular memories of my college career.
What is a favorite memory of Harvard House life? Living with my best friends. Every day was memorable, and we really created the most supportive, encouraging, and fun community, while challenging each other to be the best versions of ourselves.
What is your favorite Harvard tradition and why? Harvard/Yale! It's such a healthy rivalry...and with my fiancé from Yale, that has continued post-graduation. It is always a day where the community puts real life aside to just enjoy our time together and take pride in the spirit we feel for our school.
What advice do you have for someone applying to college? The best advice I have for students applying to college is to START EARLY. So much of the stress surrounding the process comes from feeling under prepared, behind, or confused on what to do. There are many parts of the process that are in a student's control, even when it doesn't feel like it. Starting early allows students to really maximize each part of the process, make it their own, and even make the journey a rewarding and self reflective experience.