I come from a family of six. I am the big brother of three sisters. As the oldest child, I felt the need to protect and be heroic. However, my sisters seem to be the modern heroines of the family. Two of them now have children of their own, raising and protecting them in a world that has rapidly evolved since our youth. And that leaves me to think . . . how do we teach children to navigate a world that is no longer the one we learned to navigate as children?

 My education has not been an easy journey. I started higher education as a music student. I played the violin throughout Texas in high school and later as a college student. My goal was to become a music educator. Though I never seemed to get the hang of self-discipline, which is a basic requirement for any successful music student. As a first-generation college student, I was introduced to new subjects just about every semester. The possibilities of learning were endless. Eventually, I settled on psychology, as I felt drawn to understand other humans. I spent six years studying a mix of music, psychology, philosophy, and education before I needed a break. I spent ten years away from higher education, enduring life's hardships. In a sense, I never stopped learning.

In future installments, I will discuss in greater detail the decade I spent working in and learning about the world around me. For now, though, I want you to focus on how my journey has shaped the person I am today. Ten years outside a realm that I cherish gave me a deep appreciation for education and academia. I returned to school in 2025 as an online CBE student at East Texas A&M University. Through that program, I earned a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Organizational Leadership with honors. I had to reteach myself what it was like to be a student, someone who learned because he wanted to, not because he was forced. As graduation approached, I knew my journey was not finished. My ten years away were still too close behind me.

Today, I am continuing my education as a graduate student, studying Instructional Design with a concentration in Curriculum Innovation with AI. Further material contained within this portfolio showcases the skills I am learning, the path I am taking, and the future I intend to build. Under the Instructional Design tab of this page, you will find the beginning steps I am taking to become an instructional designer.