I received my bachelor's degree from Butler University in 2011. I am currently completing graduate study in musicology at the University of Illinois. My research focuses on hip hop music and political life in Morocco. When I am not pursuing my own project, I am usually teaching. I have served as a graduate teaching assistant for U of I's Introduction to World Music course for two years. Before attending graduate school, I worked as a certified substitute teacher for K-12 general and special education in Michigan. I also volunteered as a literacy tutor with the Family Learning Institute in Ann Arbor, MI. While I am comfortable tutoring in a wide range of humanities and language arts subjects, I am most passionate about teaching English and reading comprehension. I believe students' advancements in these subjects positively impact all other academic areas. Every student can build confidence in reading and writing, and have fun doing it. I see education as a collaborative effort and I work to bring my students' personal perspectives into our lessons. Watching a student learn new things is exciting, but seeing them recognize the power of their own knowledge and experiences is even better! In my spare time, I enjoy making and listening to music of all kinds, reading and writing science fiction, running long distances (slowly), and spending a lot of time outdoors.