James Madison University
B.A. Communication Studies & BusinessMy time at JMU was both academically and socially enriching. In my four years I excelled in classes while balancing extracurricular activities and leadership positions. With the JMU Honors College I completed a concentration in Leadership and spent three semesters on my Impostor Syndrome research thesis, as well as lead a class of first year Honors students in an introductory seminar series.
I was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and held a Panhellenic recruitment position. I played a significant role on the board of the Student Duke Club, an organization run by students to support student athletes. I was the Marketing and Communications officer on the board and created content for social media channels and organize campus events.
I left JMU with more than a bachelor’s degree, I now have an expansive network, experience with managing projects spanning multiple semesters, and an appreciation for the community and friendships I have fostered along the way.
Graduation: SPRING 2021
Relevant Courses: Professional Public Speaking, Environmental Communications, Marketing, Finance, Microeconomics, Accounting, Exemplary Leadership, Organizational Leadership
The IMPOSTOR SYNDROME ProjectFALL 2019 - SPRING 2021
My Honors College curriculum concluded with my independent research thesis on Impostor Syndrome. I conducted qualitative interviews with leading female professionals in various industries to try and better understand the triggers of impostor feelings and how women of all ages have handled these feelings in a work environment.
THE INSPIRATION: My project was inspired by a conversation I had with my aunt, Meghan Dotter, who despite being a successful CEO of her own company, Portico PR, and now a published author of The Reluctant Presenter, still suffered from impostor feelings. We spoke frankly about her experience as a young professional entering PR and her consequent working experiences, all of which she suffered from feelings of inadequacy at one point or time. Since that first conversation, I have had hundreds of conversations with both men and women about Impostor Syndrome; what it is, how it can be managed, and how work places and coworkers can help to mitigate these feelings.
THE RESEARCH: I focused on the female experience with Impostor Syndrome because many studies show women are the most impacted. I saw this project as an opportunity where I could help my peers who, upon graduating, may also experience Impostor Syndrome. Thus the Impostor Syndrome Project was created which is a comprehensive website outlining my research, thesis, and resources to help young women like myself manage their inner impostor.
THE FINDINGS: I found that while Impostor feelings are less frequent with more experience, they still exist among many successful women. This study was conducted on the tail end of the pandemic therefore the project incorporates considerations for shifts in impostor feelings that may / or may not have been induced by work from home environments. I will let the website I created do the rest of the talking….
Visit The Impostor Syndrome Project for more information
Honors Teaching FellowI was selected by the Dean of the Honors College to lead a series of seminars for first year honors students. Honors 100 was designed to help students succeed with the rigorous honors curriculum. The pandemic was still looming over the campus so for health and safety reasons, I held classes via Zoom. Although not ideal, I was able to rely on my experience with Portico PR for best practices for online presenting.
FALL 2020
Responsibilities:
Designed and implemented an interactive lecture series to increase engagement with the Honors College curriculum and community.
Generated training materials and delivered seminars on critical thinking and writing proficiency that benefitted 20 first year students.