Hometown:
Fayetteville, NY
How does it feel to be Le Moyne’s First Sigma scholarship award winner? And what does it mean for you to receive this honor? It feels fabulous. For me, receiving this scholarship is a motivator to keep working hard. I find the curriculum here at Le Moyne challenging so it feels wonderful to be acknowledged. In the life of student there may be moments where one feels they just cannot read one more chapter, write one more paper, or study one more hour…in those moments I will think of this honor and remember to suck it up and to keep going!
You’re a senior accounting major, what do your future plans entail?I am actually a junior. I have applied for the five year program. Right now I am crossing my fingers hoping I get in! My main focus is performing well academically and passing the CPA exam.
What do you feel is the hardest part about being a transfer student especially your senior year? I’m a junior and have been here awhile now. I transferred here in 2010 so I’ve acclimated quite well and am grateful for my time at Le Moyne. When I first came here the hardest part was the unfamiliarity of it all. It didn’t take long for me to find out how helpful, caring, and genuine the faculty is here. I would tell future transfers student to not worry and to always ask for help. The size of Le Moyne makes it easier to really connect with the people who work here as well as fellow students.
I heard your involved in a fundraiser tell us what that’s about it?Growing up in poverty and being exposed to many injustices I have always wanted to send out ripples of positivity.
About a year ago I was seriously contemplating how I would contribute to the community around me and that’s when I formed the idea for PeaceSongsCNY. I went to the web site AxiforJustic.com, a non-profit organization formed by two musicians Tom Morello and Serj Tankian looking for a local group I could trust and found The Syracuse Peace Council. I took my one-page pitch to the PEACE Council and they accepted the idea. PeaceSongsCNy is a semiannual music CD and event that encourages musicians and non-musicians alike in the community to submit songs for social justice and peace to be considered for a place on the CD and on stage in a community performance. The community has received it well and the CD release party is May 6th at the Metro in Syracuse. There is even a professor form Le Moyne who submitted and was selected to be on the CD. Professor David Robertson who teaches statistics here at Le Moyne will have his song “Migrant Road” on the CD and will perform it live with the other 19 selected for the compilation CD. My hope is that it will promote awareness, engage youth and result in raising money for the Peace Council mission for years to come.
So, you’re in a band? What is the name of your band, and how long have you been in this band?Yes. My husband Matthew and I write original music together. I’m on lead vocals and pen the lyrics and he comes up with killer guitar licks! It’s a very fun dynamic. Our last band was called A Couple Strangers and is available online. We currently have a new project but aren’t releasing the name yet- what can I say? We’re eccentric… we have our superstitions. That is to say, we don’t want to release the name until we are on the scene once again with a fresh new sound.
What else do you like to do in your free time? I was a visual art major before I came here and switched to accounting. That is to say, I like to paint and draw in my free time. I have shown locally and would like to get back into that. Right now I just do it as a stress reliever. I spend my time here at Le Moyne engaged in analytical thought and enjoy balancing that with creative endeavors. I also love to read about the world’s religions, science, spirituality, psychology and philosophy. I also love big old structures so I spend a lot of time looking at, visiting and researching historic properties.
What would you say is your biggest pet peeve? Well this is hard…I had to think about this one…I have to say my pet peeve is when people post judgmental negative things on social networks. It just stays there perpetuating ignorance. I don’t want to see that.
What would say is a quote or motto do you live by? My own personal Motto is “Solace in Creation”. I know many people might not understand that. To me it means that I find peace and balance in creative endeavors, as well as, actively shaping and creating my own future.