I always try to explain my education and background to people. My path may be unusual, but it’s valuable.
After transferring to Stetson University as an undergraduate, I took my first philosophy course. I was hooked. I proceeded to take it as a major–along with psychology.
In philosophy, I focused on ethics and political philosophy. I did very well in my philosophy courses. I took courses on social and political freedom, existentialism, feminist philosophy, and more. For my undergraduate thesis, I studied colonialism in the United States. I traveled from Mississippi to Oklahoma, re-tracing the Trail of Tears.
After undergrad, I knew grad school on next on my list. I was accepted to the University of North Florida to study Practical Philosophy and Applied Ethics. I took graduate courses in moral psychology, virtue ethics, contemporary political philosophy, among others. I got straight A’s in my courses and was invited to join the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
Beyond my academic work, I have experience in ethical leadership. I have met Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush, and the late Florida governor Lawton Chiles. I have been a community organizer, advocate and activist. This work was sometimes paid, and sometimes not. However, I have learned quite a bit and developed crucial skills from these experiences. For example, I co-organized a large rally for DACA recipients in Orlando. It’s difficult to organize a large, peaceful rally, but I did it!
Overall, I think my skills are beneficial to the community and to any organization.