Seattle Bound! - Day 1

I am currently sitting in Gate D29 at the Baltimore Washington International Airport, about ten minutes away from UMBC. I woke up at an ungodly hour, 4:45 a.m., and am patiently awaiting to board my flight which will take me first to Salt Lake City, Utah, then to Seattle, Washington!

I still cannot believe that I am going to the End Violence Against Women International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Trafficking. Throughout the course of this past week, I have worked hard on my poster and my handouts, and without the guidance and support of several friends and mentors, I don't know where I would be right now.

Some background information:

I have been graciously funded to attend the 2014 EVAWI International Conference on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Trafficking, where I will be presenting and displaying my poster entitled A Tale of Two Survivors (You can see it above!).

Gratitude: 
I have so many people I would like to thank! 

• First: Dr. Kim Leisey, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs- Dr. Leisey has been such an important mentor, role model, and friend in my life. She is the supervisor of the UMBC Relationship Violence Prevention Advocates group and I can always count on her to be level-headed, realistic, and kind hearted. Through Dr. Leisey's encouragement and covering of the conference fee, I was inspired to move forward from talking about the conference to gaining momentum into the steps of attending the conference!
• Thank you as well to the Office of Undergraduate Education- with their awarding of the travel grant, I was able to have my entire hotel costs covered for the week! Thank you Dr. Diane Lee! 
• Thank you as well to the Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation, with the scholarship they awarded me last year I was able to cover my plane fee!

• Steven McAlpine, Assistant Director of UMBC Interdisciplinary Studies, who has been my mentor since my sophomore year. He has supported me through thick and thin and without his encouragement and positive  "Let's try it, let's do it!" attitude, I am not sure I would have pursued many of the opportunities I have had today. 
• Dr. Bambi Chapin, Professor of Anthropology, who has been one of the most important and influential mentors of my career at UMBC. Through Dr. Chapin's guidance, advice, and rightfully challenging questions, I was able to effectively work through the initial stages of writing for my poster's abstract and she has additionally been incredibly brilliant, kind, and thought-provoking. 
• Jess Myers, Director of UMBC's Women's Center, who inspired me in changing the topic and theme of my poster for it to better reflect my unique passions and experiences. Thank you, Jess for all of the patient and inspiring conversations, insight, advice, and care. 
• Alyssa Castellano- The artistic genius who brought my poster idea to life. I am so grateful for her generosity and her incredible artistic abilities. Alyssa was with me designing the poster just up until the days leading up to the conference! Thank you.  

I will be posting and updating soon- we are boarding the plane now!