Was there a defining moment during your UConn career?

I had a rough year last year due to my transition to the Storrs campus and family issues, which led me to academic probation. I was given an advisor to help mentor me, and she helped me realize that I shouldn’t let other people and problems disrupt my career as a student. I focused on myself and school, and I have never had a better semester in all four years of my college career.

Where are you headed after graduation?

After graduation, I am planning on doing a six-month program to become a certified gemologist at the Gemological Institute of America headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif. After I graduate from GIA, I will work with my mother as a jewelry appraiser. This is something I’ve been looking forward to, and I can’t believe that it is actually happening.

What would you tell someone who is considering UConn?

I would tell someone that the UConn community is like a home. Although it’s a big school, it has many communities within it that bring students close together.

Write your memoir in six words.

Focus on achieving your own individuality.