The Ohio State University
College of Optometry ‘20

Furman University, B.S. Biology, ‘16

11 years at CSG

Laying the foundation for success

CSG played a critical role in helping me find my voice and giving me the confidence to pursue my passions. I learned the importance of being an engaged member of a learning community, and my interactions with faculty and peers greatly contributed to the development of a holistic set of lifelong skills. The academic rigor taught me to synthesize complex information and solve new problems efficiently. With the support of CSG faculty and staff, I developed my voice as a leader and learned important professional skills that I still rely upon today. Most importantly, I was surrounded by a community that enabled me to take risks outside of my comfort zone and that helped me learn from every mistake and celebrate every success along the way.

Beyond the classroom

While at CSG I had invaluable learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. I was involved with Ambassador’s Society, which focused on the development of leadership, entrepreneurial, and public relations skills. I was a member of the cross country team and ran the Columbus marathon my senior year. I was also able to use my creative skills to complete graphic design work for the theater department. One of my favorite memories was going on the One Laptop per Child service learning trip to St. John during my sophomore year.

Finding a college home

The CSG college counseling office helped me find a college that best fit my academic and personal needs. I knew I wanted to head to the southeastern United States, but until I met with my college counselor, I had not heard of Furman University. I visited Furman after visiting about 15 other universities the spring of my junior year, and I immediately felt a connection to the campus and the people. I applied early decision and was selected as one of ten out-of-state merit scholars for the incoming freshman class. I am forever thankful that my college counselor recommended Furman because I had a transformative and empowering college experience. I was involved in the Furman Shucker Leadership Institute, which allowed me to continue developing leadership skills that I learned at CSG. As a biology major I had the opportunity to complete an internship at Johnson & Johnson Vision Care before applying to optometry school.

Future ambitions

After spending four years in the South, I have moved back to Columbus, Ohio to attend optometry school at The Ohio State University. I work as an optometric technician at a private practice in Columbus, which has allowed me to learn about direct patient care and practice management. After optometry school I hope to someday own my own optometry practice and use the entrepreneurial skills I first began to develop as a young student at CSG.