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Parliament. The United Nations. Google. Apple. Peace Corps. Harvard. Johns Hopkins. Being in the presence of exceptional individuals with such distinguished experiences could make any high achiever nervous, let alone a college freshman.

For as long as I can remember, becoming a midwife was my ultimate goal. When I would tell others, it was not uncommon to get some funny looks or even the occasional “wow.”

During my time at UNC-Charlotte, I have learned some incredible things, including that I love to travel and that I do not want college to end. Over the past two summers, I have had the opportunity to complete a study-abroad program in South Africa and an engineering internship in Lisbon, Portugal.

When I heard about Alternative Spring Break (ASB), I was skeptical. After all, this was my first college spring break. Why not spend it at the beach or at home seeing my high school friends?

My goals have always been large ones as far as I can remember. I remember a day as a child where during my middle school award ceremony I told my mother that I couldn’t wait for her to see me graduate with my Ph.D., and now’s the time I get to put that dream in motion.

One of the most influential decisions I made as a Levine Scholar came very early on in my college career. Midway through my freshman year, I decided I really wanted to complete my nonprofit internship at Playing for Others (PFO). The decision came about almost serendipitously. I was looking for a nonprofit that worked in the arts, as I am a double major in Dance and Marketing.

Since graduating, I have developed a consultancy firm, Outlaw Global Projects, and utilize my career skills as an independent management consultant to address key business and financial questions for individuals and organizations, both nationally and internationally.

I’ve had the absolute pleasure of showing off UNC Charlotte as a Niner Guide for almost three years. I’ve worked part-time for Undergraduate Admissions for two years and enjoyed summer employment on campus each summer. From the very beginning of my path to college, I have known UNC Charlotte was the place for me, my home.

As I flew over the island of Puerto Rico in early May of this year, I was immediately astounded by its beauty. With my face pressed to the glass of the window, I drank in the vibrancy that stared back at me.

Imagine: You need to figure out which bus to take to get back to your host university. You step out into the snow and realize not only do you not speak the language, but you also have never used public transportation. You get on the bus. You sit nervously and wait until you arrive at your host university. You made it.