When I was 7 years old, many of my peers dreamed of being football players or firefighters or doctors. Me? I wanted to be the drum major of my high school marching band. Music is the first and greatest love of my life not only because it makes me feel alive, but because it makes all of our stories meaningful and connected.

I spent the next 11 years of my life working towards this goal. I started teaching myself how to conduct at age 10, rode my bike half an hour during the summers to watch rehearsals, and started playing saxophone at 12. When I joined at 14, I was the worst member of the band. I couldn’t march very well or frankly play very well, but I never gave up.

I focused on becoming better every year until finally in my junior year, I joined the leadership team that took our band to their first ever state championship and the next year, achieved my dream of being the drum major. I learned so much during this journey about hard work, time management, leadership, project management, organization, and so many other things.

This position may not have been an official professional one, but taught me more about being a professional than anything else I’ve ever done. This dedication, grit, and passion is what I hope to bring to your organization.