Biography
As the counseling intern for the 2026-2027 school year, I am excited to be joining the IMSA community, especially because I have called Aurora home for more than 10 years. After graduating from Metea Valley High School, I attended the University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology in 2025. I am now continuing my education at UIUC as a Master of Social Work student in the Advanced Clinical concentration with a focus on Mental Health. I will complete my practicum at IMSA and graduate in Spring of 2027.
My interest in social work and mental health has been shaped by my experiences as both a student and a researcher. During my undergraduate years, I worked as a researcher in several psychology and social work labs, where I explored topics such as reproductive justice, Black queer mental health, and intersectionality theory. During my third year, I was selected as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, which gave me the opportunity to complete my own bachelor’s thesis and share my research at conferences across the country. I have continued this work throughout my master’s program as a graduate research assistant studying the mental health experiences of marginalized communities.
Alongside my research experiences, I have had the opportunity to serve as a Community Student Advisory Board Member for the School of Social Work at UIUC, work as an intern for Urbana-Champaign Reproductive Justice Organization, be an Intro to Social Work Course Assistant, and be the Vice President of the Association of Black Social Workers on campus. These experiences have taught me the importance of advocacy and creating spaces where people feel safe enough to be honest and vulnerable.
I hope to create these spaces at IMSA. I believe that counseling should be collaborative and grounded in the understanding that the students are the experts of their lives. My goal is to meet students where they are. In my day to day life I love video games, crocheting, and live music!