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Bailey Thompson<\/strong> | News Editor<\/span><\/p>\n Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?<\/b><\/p>\n I grew up in Lincoln City, which is on the coast not too far from here. I\u2019ve always known that I wanted to be a teacher, so Western was an easy choice for me because of the ED program. I am going to be a middle school science teacher \u2026 I\u2019m super passionate about teaching our adolescents \u2014 I think it\u2019s an awesome age. They\u2019re just goofy, and they need all the love in the world. So, I\u2019m excited to just give that to them. And science is just awesome because of the wonder and the \u2018Ah-ha\u2019 moments that it gives those kids.<\/span><\/p>\n What do you like to do in your free time?<\/b><\/p>\n I love visiting my family and my boyfriend \u2026 In the summertime and the springtime, I love to barbeque. That\u2019s one of my favorite things to do. Sometimes I watch Netflix.<\/span><\/p>\n How do you feel about having been chosen for the Delmer Dewey\/Julia McCulloch Smith Award?<\/b><\/p>\n Shocked, honored, humbled… I don\u2019t know. I really didn\u2019t expect to win. I knew I was nominated, and I wrote my cover letter and resume just being like \u2018What an honor it is to be nominated. I\u2019m so happy for whoever wins.\u2019 But I totally wasn\u2019t thinking it would be me at all. And then, it was. \u2026 I feel like I\u2019ve done things that are just enjoyable and fun for me, so it was weird to be recognized for things that just seem like part of my existence and what I would no matter what.<\/span><\/p>\n What are some of the ways that you have been involved here at Western?<\/b><\/p>\n I started off in hall government as Activities Director \u2026 Then I was on the Residence Hall Association for half of my freshman year and all of my sophomore year as a programming coordinator. And then kind of at the same time that I started that position, I got a volunteer position at HART, which stands for Horses Adaptive Riding and Therapy. So, we do work with toddlers all the way through older adults who are experiencing physical or cognitive disabilities, mental health diagnoses, trauma \u2014 a variety of reasons why they might come in and ride the horses \u2026 And meanwhile, my junior year I got a position in University Housing as the Residential Programming Program Assistant, and that involved planning more social events and fun things for students to do over the weekends. I\u2019ve been an ambassador \u2026 I was part of the Faculty Senate Honors Committee\u2026 and recently I\u2019ve gotten to be a part of revising the Honors curriculum, which has been a lot of work but also a lot of fun.<\/span><\/p>\n Can you tell me a bit about what your experience has been like at Western in general?<\/b><\/p>\n My experience at Western has been great. I think they do a really good job of pushing you to try new things that are outside of your comfort zone and opening your mind to the world. I grew up in a pretty small town, so I didn\u2019t have a lot of experiences with the things that I think Western is really good at exposing us to, and so my world just grew because of Western.<\/span><\/p>\n What is the thing that you are most proud of during your time at Western?<\/b><\/p>\n I think I\u2019m most proud of the relationships I\u2019ve made and the people I\u2019ve surrounded myself with. I feel like after I leave here, I\u2019m just going to have a whole slew of people who are supporting me and cheering for me, and that feels really good. I\u2019ve made connections that drive me to be a more positive person \u2014 a person who wants to make positive change in the world \u2014 and I definitely think I\u2019m influenced by those people every day.<\/span><\/p>\n If you could go back and do one thing differently, what would it be?<\/b><\/p>\n There\u2019s lots of things \u2026 but I guess I might focus a little harder on classes. I\u2019ve done really well academically, and my grades reflect that, but I might just tell myself to find a little more purpose in the things I\u2019m learning and just hold on to it a little bit more. Now that I\u2019m in the ED program, I\u2019m realizing how applicable a lot of the stuff that they teach us is\u2026 and I wish I would have just taken some time to appreciate and absorb that information a little bit more.<\/span><\/p>\n What advice do you have for underclassmen at Western?<\/b><\/p>\n I would say that you should say yes when the opportunities come around \u2014 when someone asks you \u2018do you want come to this event on campus?\u2019 or \u2018do you want to join this intramural team?\u2019 or \u2018do you want to go grab pizza at Yeasty\u2019s?\u2019 \u2014 just say yes because those opportunities sometimes lead to really great things and really great relationships. And, had I not said yes to a couple of things, I wouldn\u2019t be here \u2026 That\u2019s super clich\u00e9, but I think it\u2019s what\u2019s gotten me here.<\/span><\/p>\n What are you going to miss most about your time here?<\/b><\/p>\n I don\u2019t know. Everything. I guess I\u2019m just going to miss being around all the like-minded, positive people who are here, encouraging everyone to just be themselves and try new things. The world isn\u2019t always like that\u2026 but that\u2019s the kind of influence I hope to have on my students in the future. But I\u2019ll definitely miss that culture of acceptance here at Western.<\/span><\/p>\n What are your plans for after graduation?<\/b><\/p>\n I recently accepted a position at Estacada Middle School teaching science \u2014 probably 6<\/span>th <\/span>and 7<\/span>th <\/span>grade. I\u2019m headed to live in Lake Oswego with my boyfriend, and I\u2019ll be commuting to Estacada for work \u2026 it\u2019s about 30 minutes east of Lake Oswego.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n