It was a seemingly normal Tuesday afternoon when I made one of the biggest decisions of my life.
I can even tell you the exact time — it was 2:42 PM.
At that moment, I wrote down four words that would end up shaping my future.
“I’m going to go.”
I was a freshman at Taylor University, and I was loving every second of my college experience. Not only was I heavily involved with organizations and clubs on campus, but I loved living the dream I had worked so hard for, playing college tennis.
Just as we were about to go on spring break, we were informed that the tennis program had been cut. I called my dad, a former college athlete, and tried to process through what at the time looked like the end of my career. I remember telling him, “Four years of college tennis in my mind was a guarantee, and it could be gone. I could have played my last tennis match ever without even knowing it.”
To say I was devastated would be a major understatement.
As much as I loved my time at Taylor, I also loved playing tennis, so I had to make an agonizing decision.
After some heart-to-hearts with my family prayer for wisdom and guidance, and so many tears, I wrote those four words down and decided to transfer to Grace College.
While I had an undeniable fear of the unknown, I did not want fear to make the decision for me. I transferred, and told myself in a year it is all going to be okay.
What I didn’t know at the time was how much good would come out of what was one of the most difficult moments of my life, and a year later I would end up far better than just okay.
One door closed, but another door opened at Grace — one that was about to change my life in all the best ways.
First and foremost, Grace College stood out to me because of Dr. Owen, an amazing education professor who took the time to meet with and care for me. I also built a great relationship with my coach in the recruiting process.
The community was so kind and friendly, and I could picture myself fitting right in on the team, the education department, and the community as a whole.
Another deciding factor was the opportunity to pursue an education major with a business minor. The combination of my passions was something I greatly valued and loved that I was able to pursue at Grace College.
As I embarked on my new journey, I was determined to make the most of every opportunity that came my way, both on and off the tennis court.
I joined the Student Senate to represent my class, and understand the behind-the-scenes work of the institution. I also was nominated by my coach to be on the Student Athletic Council, which allowed me to work closely with the athletic director and student-athlete coordinators to improve my leadership qualities.
I went to any and every event I could possibly attend, played a lot of Spikeball, and along the way I met some really great friends.
My junior year, I was elected to be the Student Body President of our institution. I got the opportunity to get to know the student body as well as the administration, and work to create positive change on our campus.
This role really led me to knowing I belong in the Grace community as I took ownership of my time here.
Being an entrepreneur
I also tapped into my passion for entrepreneurship by starting not just one, but two businesses.
The first is Miss M’s Gems, which is a Teachers Pay Teachers website where I create and sell resources for teachers like worksheets, slideshows, games, anchor charts, and more.
Think of Etsy, but with teacher resources.
The second business I started is All ABoard Educators, a business that offers instant bulletin board designs for teachers. For those who don’t know, creating bulletin boards is a long and grueling process.
Both of my parents are teachers, so I’ve been putting up bulletin boards my entire life. I love them, but cutting, laminating, and designing can be quite the pain, and I knew there had to be a more efficient way.
That’s when I came up with All Aboard Educators. With our instant bulletin board, you just unroll it, hang it, and your bulletin board is decorated in less than 10 minutes. You can custom design it, put your name on it, use one of our own templates, etc.
We found a lot of really great teachers aren’t always the most tech-savvy or creative in an artistic sense. Teacher burnout is also becoming very prevalent in our society today, so I wanted to create something that would help give teachers an option to take back their time since that was not an option that was available before.
I’m beyond grateful to be able to give back to the educational community.
I even ended up winning $5,000 at a local pitch competition last year, which allowed me to get the business off the ground initially.
You can now find us at www.AllAboardEducators.com
Capitalizing on my passion
Being an entrepreneur has always been a part of me.
In high school, I dabbled in business plans and had a burning desire to solve problems through innovative ideas. Continuing my enthusiasm for entrepreneurship in college, I started my businesses and learned valuable lessons along the way through the help of great mentors.
I discovered the power of hard work, adaptability, and the importance of networking. Through my businesses, I refining my marketing skills and am seeking opportunities to expand my reach.
I began participating in NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals in the summer of 2022.
After seeing Chloe Mitchell rock NIL at the NAIA level, I realized NIL was not just for Division I athletes, and I too could find a place in this new space.
My NIL journey has been an invaluable experience.
I attend a small NAIA institution, and have worked hard to pioneer the way for myself and those who will come after me. I have secured numerous deals and partnerships, and absolutely love the joy that comes when the notification shows up on my phone stating “You have been accepted for a deal!”.
Some of the partnerships I’m most proud of are with ZIYNX, Antigua MLB, and Collegeboxes.
But the ultimate dream partnership for me was with the Meta Empower program. My goal in NIL is to learn as much as I can.
Meta, the entity behind Instagram and Facebook, is obviously a superpower in the NIL and social media marketing space.
Their mentors have blown me away with their knowledge and insight. I’ve met with them consistently and learned more than I can put into words.
The monthly check-ins and one-on-ones have been critical to my success throughout this partnership. Not to mention, my fellow female student-athletes who have also partnered with Meta have been remarkable.
These girls are absolutely killing it!
I love getting to learn from them and cheer them on as we establish our own little Meta Empower 3.0 family through this program.
It’s been a blessing to delve into the NIL landscape as much as I have, and I’m thrilled to be in a position to enhance the NIL opportunities at Grace.
We found a lot of really great teachers aren't always the most tech-savvy or creative in an artistic sense. Teacher burnout is also becoming very prevalent in our society today, so I wanted to create something that would help give teachers an option to take back their time since that was not an option that was available before. I’m beyond grateful to be able to give back to the educational community.
Lessons and blessings
As a fifth-year senior, I can’t begin to describe all the lessons I’ve learned and the amount of growth I’ve experienced in my college years.
Above all else, I learned that the Lord always provides, and your fears are never as terrible as you make them out to be in your own head.
Believe me, I was terrified to leave my comfort zone, but I knew I had to.
I’m so glad I did because it turned out to be one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
At Grace, I’ve had the opportunity to be a student, athlete, entrepreneur, Student Body President, and student-teacher. Through each of these roles, I have established relationships that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.
Reflecting on these experiences, I’m filled with gratitude. They have shaped me into the person I am today.
Whether it was overcoming challenges, diving into leadership roles, or embracing the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship and NIL, every step has contributed to my growth.
Looking toward the future, my goals are clear. I want to be an incredible teacher, bringing my passion for education and entrepreneurship to the classroom. I hope to thrive in my businesses and continue to support the teaching community.
And as I step into the next chapter of my life, I’m excited to see what awaits me and how I can continue making the most out of every opportunity.
More Stories
Powered by
