Liberal Arts Major(s): Economics
Other Major: Community, Environment, and Development
Hometown: Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

What was the best part of your experience?

With near autonomy, an automobile, and amazing weather my friends and I were able to hike, fish, and camp across the country. Our beat-up and blue VW carried us throughout the Western Cape to see the splendor and natural beauty of the country. My favorite trip was our weekend in Infanta. We camped where the Breed river meets the sea; its rich estuarine waters kept us occupied and fed. We fished all day and feasted all night on steenbras, black tail, and mussels, just to fall asleep in the dunes and do it all over again.

I gained immeasurable perspective on my personal and professional goals, and I have a renewed passion for sustainability

How did this experience impact you academically?

I was enrolled full time at the University of Cape Town. I took two economics courses within my major where I learned development economics and public sector theory from some of the most prominent academics in the field. These courses, along with my out-of-major courses on urban geography and performance arts, specifically highlighted the importance of decolonizing the classroom. Each course reframed many Western, Euro-centric theories into local applications within the Global South.

How will this experience impact your career goals?

I gained immeasurable perspective on my personal and professional goals, and I have a renewed passion for sustainability, especially in urban housing and food systems because of my experience in my Urban Geography course.

How has the Paterno Fellows Program had an impact on this experience?

Thanks to Paterno Fellows, I was awarded funding so I could experience all of this. I am grateful for this capital as well as the social capital the Paterno Fellows network provides. Emails, newsletters, and friends I met through Paterno Fellows kept me connected to the happenings within the Penn State community.