Name: Loneleigh Resident
Age: 23
Major: Botany and Technical Writing
Occupation (if any): Owner, The Loneleigh Petal Flower Shop and Gardening Center
Member of Greek House? (If so, which one): DOE sister
University Related Activities: Editor-in-Chief of The Beaver Pride, Teaching Assistant for the monthly Fall into Flora lecture series, and co-moderator of the Bring Your Own Book club
Hobbies: Hiking, Researching phytochemistry of hydrangeas, dancing, and providing some comic relief for Woodcrest
Likes: drinking Starpugs coffee with Devin (my best surprise here at Woodcrest), gazing at the mountains in the distance, providing flowers for our community’s special occasions, and wearing sweater dresses
Dislikes: the beach, the lack of ethnobotany tomes in the library, and people who fail to spotlight their talents
Favorite Music: country and death metal
Q: What made you decide to go to Woodcrest?
A: After three years of backpacking through South America, I found myself in a different kind of adventure: hosting metal shows for Deidre Delaney (Didi, my best friend and DOE sister). The energy, the late nights, the camaraderie of it all…it was a world I loved. But when Didi decided to step away from the stage to pursue academics at Woodcrest, I was completely lost. I ended up taking a year off to do nothing but read books and mope around in the woods. When I returned, Didi urged me to check out the university. I visited Woodcrest and saw a place where my passions in botany, writing, and hiking could truly thrive. It felt like the right place to grow, not just in knowledge, but in every way.
Q: What is the one thing that you love about Woodcrest?
A: What I love most about Woodcrest is the sheer breadth of talent within our community, whether in technology, the arts, or extracurriculars. Each of us brings something unique, fitting together like the pieces of a beautifully intricate jigsaw puzzle. Sure, we have our differences, but at the end of the day, we’re one large, ever-evolving family, bound by a shared drive to learn, create, and grow together.
Q: What would you say has been your biggest accomplishment so far at Woodcrest?
A: My biggest accomplishments at Woodcrest have been expanding The Loneleigh Petal into a full gardening center and stepping into the role of Editor-in-Chief at Beaver Pride. Neither would have been possible without the supportive people around me. Over the past year, our editorial team and our newspaper reporters and photographers have expanded the paper’s scope, pushing boundaries and elevating student journalism.
Q: What would you consider your most embarrassing moment at Woodcrest?
A: Oh, hands down, my most embarrassing moment at Woodcrest was during my very first Rush because I only introduced myself to people with alcohol (DAM, I love you guys!)
Q: What is the one thing that you think people will remember you for in Woodcrest?
A: I hope people remember me for always stepping up when needed, whether it was helping a friend, sharing my love of flowers, or throwing myself headfirst into a project. If nothing else, I hope my Petals and Prose column made someone stop and appreciate the flora all around Woodcrest, even just for a moment.
