From a young age, I was intrinsically motivated by the idea of helping others. I think this was shaped by the doctors, nurses, and teachers I had experience with when my dad was sick. Yes, their jobs are to help people feel better and to teach, but they found even more ways to support my family and myself through one of the hardest times of our lives. This motivation made me consider nursing before teaching. I thought I could do what the nurses did for my family and I, but I quickly learned through my internships that hospitals were not the place for me. They held too many bad memories. At the same time as volunteering in the hospital, I was choreographing my first school musical at the age of 16. This experience introduced me to a new way of helping others, which was through teaching. I would come home so excited to tell my mom that I had helped put a smile on someone’s face because they finally nailed the choreography I was teaching them. This excitement brought me to what I truly wanted to do, which was to be a teacher who would help students find their love for the fine arts.

Once I became a teacher, there was a spark to help other teachers develop and grow. Don’t get me wrong, I adore being in the classroom and working directly with students, but I knew I could do more. When I felt this, I thought about a conversation I had with two of my professors during my undergraduate degree; they both encouraged me to consider arts administration. With the desire to explore a position in development and this past conversation, I was led to consider wanting to pursue being a Fine Arts Director or a Theatre Supervisor for a school district. Both of these positions would help me develop fine arts teachers in different ways. I would be able to plan professional development, I would answer questions teachers may have, I would oversee district fine arts events, and much more. I would also still be able to be involved with the students, allowing me to fulfill both motivations. I was blessed to be able to intern with my direct Theatre Supervisor this past summer and see all the behind-the-scenes of this position. This internship helped me confirm this was the career path for me.