CESL Program: Boltwood, Supervisor for the Project Teammate Group

Major: Psychology

Minor: Biology – Pre Med

The most meaningful part of my Boltwood experience has been the friendships I’ve developed with the Volunteers and the Participants. We’re always so happy to see each other and have such a strong bond as a group.

A standout moment for me in Boltwood had to do with one of the Participants in my group. He can be very shy at times and has a hard time getting comfortable in a social setting. Last year he almost never wanted to participate in our group activities. At the end of the year we were all talking about how we’d miss each other over the summer and I asked him if he’d miss us. He said, “Yeah, I’m going to miss you. You know I love you guys right?” He had never said anything like that before. That felt like a turning point for him. This year he has participated in all of our activities. I feel like the continuity of the Boltwood program really led him to that turning point. He needed more time to get to know and trust us and Boltwood gave him that time.

Being a part of Boltwood has been one of the most meaningful and important experiences I have had at UMass. Boltwood has even influenced my decision on what I want to do with my life. When I came to college I wanted to be a pediatrician, but now I’ve decided to be a pediatric psychiatrist. I feel like mental health issues are underrated in general, and it’s especially important to address these issues as early in a person’s life as possible. Being a psychiatrist takes a lot of patience and flexibility when things don’t go as planned. Most importantly, Boltwood has taught me to strive to be the best version of myself everyday and how to be more patient and compassionate. These are experiences and traits that will help me succeed in my future profession.