I place an emphasis on first gaining a deep understanding of students' learning styles and strengths. I then consistently ask students throughout their studying journeys whether what we are doing is effective for them—not whether they are enjoying themselves, but whether they feel that they are growing as thinkers in the relevant area. I believe that this combination of initial engagement and continual reassessment fosters the most generative learning for students.

Mr. Kadden, my high school history teacher, fueled my intellectual curiosity that has driven me to ask hard questions and wrestle with difficult answers. When I entered his AP U.S. History class in the fall of my junior year, I did not have a meaningful love for learning. I did my work, but I did not gain a lot from working through complex topics. He showed me what it meant to devote myself to my education and dig below the surface level to attain a deep understanding of an issue area. Mr. Kadden also taught me that cursory explanations of complex phenomena are rarely sufficient and should always be interrogated. To never accept an explanation on face value is an intellectual lesson that has consistently undergirded my undergraduate studies and will continue to do so during law school.