When did you attend Westminster School of Nashville / Currey Ingram Academy, and what year did you graduate? I went to Westminster School of Nashville for 4th through 6th grades. After being diagnosed with dyslexia, and being a non-reader when I arrived at WSN, I repeated the 4th grade to gain another year of instruction. After 6th grade I enrolled at Harpeth Hall for middle school and Father Ryan in high school. In 2007, I graduated from Father Ryan High School.

What is your most memorable experience from WSN?
I distinctly remember the hands-on learning, and who could forget being in the basement at Westminster? It was like a maze trying to get to the cafeteria! Also, I met my best friend at WSN; Lee Zoretic and I are still best friends to this day.

What is your current involvement with CIA?
I am getting re-acquainted with CIA. I would love to be involved in speaking with the students, especially the girls, about realizing your potential, setting goals, and achieving success. I am also exploring using my Special Education degree and being a substitute teacher at CIA on the days I’m not taking my Pre-Med courses.

What is one piece of advice you would give to current Currey Ingram students?
Never give up! You will struggle, and that’s okay. Overcome it. Don’t ever give up.

What did WSN/CIA do for you?
When I came to WSN, I was a non-reader. By the end of 4th grade at WSN, I was reading. I knew I was smart but couldn’t understand why reading was so easy for everyone else. WSN and the teachers gave me back my self-confidence and my self- esteem soared.

I remember that “aha” moment with sight words and not having to stop and say, “Now, what did I just read?” I could read and understand the text. It took a lot of practice.

Please elaborate on your academic experiences at WSN.
I learned to appreciate the teachers; at WSN, they were so loving and patient. Because of them, I regained confidence in my abilities and myself. Before WSN, I hated schoolwork and would say, “No, I’m not doing it.” At WSN, things were different and I always tried my best. Teachers, like Mrs. Holt, got me out of my shell, and I actually began to enjoy school. Being involved in theater helped nurture and mold me into a person that excelled at public speaking.

Accommodations at WSN are what enhanced my learning experience. I was allowed to have a reader and I was able to verbally state my responses on tests and work. I had preferential seating in the classroom. Having this understanding benefited me in college. In undergrad and now, I am able to walk into the centers for student disabilities on campus and tell them exactly what I need to be successful.

Where did you graduate from in college, and why did you choose that college?
I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Middle Tennessee State University in December 2011 with a degree in Special Education. I was on the Dean’s List seven times at MTSU, and was a part of the Golden Key International Honour Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and the MTSU Student Government Association.

I chose Special Education because I wanted to learn how people teach; I feel that I became a better learner this way. I am so thankful to my parents who always instilled in me the value of education. It was never “are you going to college?;” it was “where are you going to college.”

What are your future plans?
I am currently enrolled at Nashville State taking my prerequisite courses for Pre-Med, and I’m in the process of beginning to study for the MCAT. I would love to go to Meharry Medical College or Vanderbilt to specialize in pediatrics and neurology, possibly even incorporating my Special Education degree to teach in the medical field. I want to travel, continue following my dreams, live up to my fullest potential, and eventually give back to all those people and places that have shaped me.