What excites you the most about this role?

The Graduate Student Senate is the official voice of graduate and professional students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. We serve more than 6,000 students across a wide range of disciplines on campus. Each department and academic unit sends representatives to voice concerns and propose ideas to improve the graduate student experience. My role as GSS president is to be an advocate to all graduate students and convey the senate’s views and priorities to UT administration. 

What excites me most about being the 2021-2022 GSS president is having the opportunity to serve and represent my fellow graduate students. I will strive to be an advocate for our graduate and professional students, helping to inspire and motivate them as we begin in-person classes this fall.

What made you want to run for office?

I ran for office because I wanted to support and represent my fellow graduate students on campus. I believe that GSS has the ability to make a huge impact on the overall success and productivity of our students. I really enjoyed my time as the senator for the Department of Plant Sciences last year, and I wanted to get further involved with GSS. 

I ran for office because I wanted to use the knowledge and connections I’ve gained during my time at UT to further graduate students’ interests and give them the best experience possible during their time on Rocky Top. I also desired to improve the visibility of UTIA and Herbert College graduate students to the greater Knoxville campus community. 

To say I bleed orange is an understatement—I started my collegiate career here at UT in 2010. I graduated in 2015 with a BS in chemistry and psychology, then began my graduate studies with the Department of Plant Sciences. I obtained my MS in 2018 and expect to graduate with my PhD in May 2022. I love the University of Tennessee and during my final year on campus, I want to give back to the place that made me who I am today. UT has given me so much, both personally and professionally—I feel an obligation to do everything I can to give back and improve the lives of those around me.

What is something you hope to accomplish in your time as president?

During my first few weeks in office, I reached out to our graduate student senators and began discussions about the issues and concerns facing our student body. We found common themes that included social reconnection and improving students’ mental/emotional/financial well-being. Based on these conversations, our executive team developed the following initiatives for the 2021-2022 academic year:

• Socially reconnecting the graduate student body as COVID-19 restrictions ease up.
• Advocating for graduate and professional student mental/emotional/financial well-being.
• Raising awareness of different resources and programs offered by the university and graduate school.
• Developing, promoting, and hosting social events/activities for students per university and CDC guidelines.
• Evaluating and optimizing current GSS support.
• Implementing brief surveys and open discussion sessions to identify key issues that limit the success and productivity of our students.
• Serving as a liaison between the graduate student body and UT administration.
• Improving the overall graduate student experience and making our school desirable to potential students across the nation.

Is there something you want your fellow students to know?

GSS is here to support and represent all graduate and professional students. We hope to improve the graduate student experience and provide the resources necessary for all our students to succeed. Reach out to me or your departmental senator if you have any current issues or ideas for improvement. 

I am honored to serve in this role and look forward to working closely with our graduate students and senators over the next academic year. I will strive to leave a lasting legacy that reflects all of the amazing opportunities and experiences I’ve had during my time at UT. I hope to leave behind something that will continue to grow and flourish, spreading knowledge, planting skills, and cultivating expertise for generations to come.

What do you like to do during your free time?

Despite the fact that free time can be hard to come by as a graduate student, I love being outside and gardening. I’ve always had a passion for hiking and being in the Smoky Mountains. I also enjoy playing my guitar, tennis, volunteering, networking, and professional development.