Williston Northampton School’s Director of Financial Aid
What advice would you give to a girl graduating from Williston today?
Be confident in how prepared you are to embrace your next chapter and the skills you have gained while at Williston. Take a risk, make the choice that challenges you and pushes you because you are more prepared than you realize, and know how to seek out resources and self-advocate for yourself. And know you have people at Williston cheering you on who will continue to be mentors and support you after graduating.
Tell us about a woman who is your hero and why?
Denise Wellman was the Director of the Visitor Center at the University of South Carolina when I was a Student Ambassador and tour guide during my time in college. She modeled for me the power of encouraging students to step outside of their comfort zone with empathy and support as well as the importance of questioning why we do the things we do. She helped me move past external validation and gain the confidence to push boundaries and ask sometimes hard and thought-provoking questions.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
It is OK to say no. I was, and many women are, taught they can do it all. Devoting my time to the things that excite me and that I am passionate about serves me best in my personal and work life as opposed to being stretched too thin.