Here I sit, a graduate.

This past Sunday, I graduated from West Chester University for my Bachelor's in Psychology. Let me just how you damn proud I am for myself.

A little back story... when I was in high school I toured West Chester my Junior year, from that first visit I knew this new place was going to be my home. I applied and I was accepted. I started my college career as a chemistry major (it was much must in depth than that) and after my freshman year, I knew this was not for me. I finished the Spring semester of my freshman year with a 1.950. I was not proud of this, but I knew this was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I dropped a class, received two D's and was not myself. I went into the second exam of my calculus class and told myself that if I did not know the answers, I would hand the exam in, drop the class, and change my major, to psychology. At first, I heard some people having an opinion on what I wanted to pursue, some telling me that "psychology will not get you anywhere in life."

Here I am with a full-time job, graduate student (basically) at Drexel University for Applied Behavior Analysis, something I have reached for since changing my major.

West Chester University,

You have taught me something everything about the rest of my life.

You have provided me with every opportunity possible.

You have provided me with the best professors ever.

You have provided me with Autism Speaks, my family for the past two years.

You have taught me how to help those in need.

You have taught me how to strive for my best.

You have taught me how to be who I am today.

I cannot thank you enough for the opportunities you have presented me with. A leadership role on campus, an internship with one of the best group of people, the mentors in my life. You have taught me so much more about myself than I could have ever imagined.

You have shown me how to persevere through the tough times. The support around me, from every email, every dog on campus, you have shown me that mental health was the most important thing to keep me going.

You have shown me the importance of friendships. There may have been people who I only talked to in class, but you gave me the best friends I could ask for. The best group project members*

You showed me that hard work will get you anywhere.

You have given me so much more than I could have everimagined in the past years.

Thank you for everything,

West Chester University Alumni '18