Education: a radical, utopian idea

In the modern age, the real purpose of education has grown increasingly difficult to locate. Innumerable students grow up thinking education is a means to an end, rather than viewing it as an end in itself. I believe the promise of education is not money, not a job title, not a diploma, not a line on a resume — rather, the promise of education is transformation into the best versions of ourselves.

Below, you can read the four principles that guide my educational philosophy and leadership:

Education is about building the skills not just to learn, but to unlearn — to think critically, to imagine boldly, and to act compassionately toward all others, regardless of who we are and what they may be.
Education is about mentality: it is a belief — a radical, beautiful, and daunting belief — that a better world is possible through knowledge, inquiry, and imagination. It is a belief that we will try, fail, and try again until we grow.
Education is about opportunity. It is about giving kids on backstreets and Main Street the same chances as those on Wall Street — it is about uplifting the voices of those who have been begging for help but finding themselves ignored.
Most importantly: education is about change. It changes how we see the world and what is in it. It changes what we dream is possible. It changes who we are, what we want, and how we get it. And once we have changed, we cannot help but turn around and start changing the world around us.

“All that you touch you change.

All that you change changes you.

The only lasting truth is change.”

Octavia Butler

Read about my work in education

Member, Stonington Board of Education

On August 7, 2025, I was unanimously appointed to the Stonington Board of Education to fill the remainder of a departing member’s term. The next day, I was sworn in at just 21 years old — becoming the first Gen-Z and youngest active public official in town.

As one of seven board members, I help oversee a $45 million budget, set district policies and goals, and hire and evaluate senior administrators, including the Superintendent. The district I serve consists of four schools serving about 2,000 students across Stonington, Pawcatuck, Lord’s Point, Wequetequock, and parts of Mystic and Old Mystic.

After securing the Democratic endorsement, I was elected to serve a full four-year term on November 4th, 2025.

Peer Mentor Program Manager

As an Instructional/Program Specialist for the Avery Point Center for Access and Postsecondary Success (CAPS), I founded and led a pilot initiative designed to support first-generation, low-income, and historically underserved students. I hired, trained, and supervised a team of Peer Mentors who provided one-on-one academic and personal support to incoming students. I also developed a structured curriculum of workshops and events focused on leadership development, goal-setting, time management, and effective communication. By closely monitoring student progress and implementing proactive interventions, the program aimed to strengthen retention, boost academic confidence, and build a more inclusive, supportive campus environment.

Here's what we were able to accomplish in just 28 weeks on campus (fall and spring, 2024-25):

Launched and led program with 31 mentees across three cohorts
Facilitated 181 mentoring engagements, including 79 in-depth sessions and 102 check-ins (average of ~6.5 engagements per week)
Hosted 22 CAPS-led events totaling over 550 attendees, with an average of 25 attendees per event
Represented CAPS at 8 campus traditions, with an average of 15 student attendees per event (48.3% of mentee population)
Achieved 82.4% satisfaction with CAPS programming and 70.6% satisfaction with CAPS mentoring, based on internal surveys
Recruited, trained, and supervised 2 upper-class Peer Mentors who provided consistent, high-impact support to first-year students

First Generation Favors Leadership Dinner

As part of my commitment to first-generation student success, I authored a successful $4,000 grant proposal submitted to the UConn Office of Undergraduate Research to fund the First-Generation Favors Leadership Dinner on February 20th, 2025. The program, supported by two supplemental workshops covering etiquette, was a dynamic, community-building event that brought together over 30 first-generation students, staff, faculty, and alumni.

The evening featured a three-course meal, guided networking, and interactive workshops tailored toward leadership development, financial literacy, and public speaking. Each participant received a custom portfolio, a copy of Atomic Habits by James Clear, and practical tools for professional growth. The program received overwhelming praise from both students and table mentors. Students shared that they felt “more accepted for who they are,” while mentors expressed deep appreciation for the return of first-generation programming in such a meaningful way. Following the event, university departments reached out to explore the possibility of institutionalizing the program as an annually funded initiative.

Writing Fellow

As a Writing Fellow with the UConn Department of English (2024), I taught a Seminar in Writing and Multimodal Composition (ENGL 1007-S) for multiple small writing and learning communities. I collaborated with faculty and colleagues to refine and enhance instructional materials, guided students to strengthen their writing skills, enhance competence in various rhetorical modalities, and engage more deeply with the creative process.

Lead Mentor and Student Tutor

As a Lead Mentor and Student Tutor with the Avery Point Academic Center (2022-25), I provided individualized and group academic support to help students master course material and strengthen their academic skills. I designed and implemented effective strategies for teaching advanced writing and rhetorical techniques to college students and led semester-long review sessions focused on building quantitative reasoning in upper-level classes. Additionally, I spearheaded the creation of training curriculum in compliance with College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) Level 1 standards.

Courses Tutored (passed with an A- or better):

HRTS1007, JOUR1002, POLS1402, ANTH1000, PSYC1100, ENGL2600, WGSS2124, POLS1602W, STAT1100Q, MATH1070Q, MUSI1003, ANTH2000, ENGL3082, PHIL1104, POLS2070Q, SOCI1501W, POLS1202, ENGL2401, POLS1002, ENGL 1007, ENGL2100, ENGL2413, POLS2460E, PSYC1101, ECON1202, ENGL2214W, ENGL3507, ENGL3611, SOCI2305, BIOL1102, ENGL2001, ENGL 4101W, JOUR2010, WGSS2217, ENGL2276W, HDFS2100, PSYC2400, PSYC2700, SOCI2301

Instructional & Program Specialist

As an Instructional and Program Specialist, I stewarded over $30,000 in event programming to deliver transformative for first-generation and low-income students. Additionally, for three consecutive summers (2023-2025), I curated and taught a First Year Experience course (UNIV 1800) whilst co-instructing an Introduction to Academic Writing course (ENGL 1004). I also provided year-round advising, tutoring, and mentorship to 30+ underserved students.