1. Do you (or your family) have any special family traditions that you could share with us?
On Christmas my family hides a small pickle ornament on the tree and all the kids have to try and find it and the person that does gets a prize.

2. Please describe your family heritage. Where does your family originate from and how do you describe yourself?
Most of my mom’s side is a mix of Welsh and French and all of my dad’s side comes from Germany and now lives in South Dakota.

3. Where are some of the places that you have lived in your life? What are some of the differences or similarities between those places and Des Moines?
The only other place that I have lived in my life is Lake Village, Illinois. It is very different from Des Moines because it is a lot of suburbs surrounded by cornfields and doesn’t really have a downtown.

4. Do you consider anyone in your life a “mentor” If so, could you talk about why that person has made a difference in your life?
I would say that my high school track coach was a mentor. He taught me about hard work and how dedicating yourself completely to something is important if you are going to do something at all.

5. What is one moment in your life that you are most proud of and why?
One moment that I am proud of was when I won my Sectional in the 300 hurdles my junior year. I came into the year 12th in the Sectional and dropped a lot of time during the year to win and go to State.

6. How has participation in sports enhanced your life? Can you name a specific example of how athletics has impacted your life?
It has helped me to get in great shape and to meet new people. I think that it has also taught me to work hard and that hard work produces results.

7. In your entire athletic career, has there been a teammate/coach/administrator of a different ethnicity or background that you have encountered? If so, what have you learned about that person’s culture or background based on you experience with him/her?

Yes, in high school I had a teammate who wa born in China and moved here when he was four. I learned a lot about how different culture is in China. They value different sports more and value different qualities more such as discipline.

8. If you did not participate in collegiate athletics, what other extra curricular activities would you consider participating in?
I would be in other business organizations such as investment club.