NOBODY SAW THAT COMING: ONE WOMAN'S UNUSUAL JOURNEY INTO THE GEOSCIENCES

“Who saw that coming?” has been a constant refrain by my family and friends over the past decade. And for good reason. In 2013, I received a B.S. Degree in Geology from York College and in 2017, a M.S. Degree in Sustainability from The City College Of New York. I became the “first,” in my family of ten to earn a 4-year degree, which was no small task for a woman over fifty and a high school dropout living with the daily challenges of a painful disability. After years of various jobs, entrepreneur ventures, and stand-up comedy, I decided to make a tsunamic shift and enrolled at York College to pursue my love of science. It was not easy returning to academia as a non-traditional student. But I succeeded in my educational endeavors and smashed many expectations regarding a person with a disability, GED, older students, and a woman in STEM. During my tenure at York and City College, I quickly became a V.I.S. (Very Involved Student). I was President of Student Government, a member of a Varsity team, a member of the Executive Board at my college and won first runner-up for Campus Queen. Academically, I participated in study-abroad and research projects in Argentina, Hawaii, and a service-learning program in Guede Chantier, Senegal. Also, I was awarded City Council Citations, Chancellor Awards, prestigious scholarships for leadership and mentoring, and was a featured speaker at my commencement at York College in 2013. Currently, I am an adjunct faculty member at York College, where I teach “Intro to Geology.” My greatest rewards in teaching come from undoing and dispelling misconceptions that students approach geology and science with, i.e., “Geoscientists do not look like me," “Geology is not relevant to the urban environment,” “STEM is not for women,” etc. Additionally, I am a member on the Board of Directors of the Association for Women Geoscientists, Executive Board of the York College PSC-CUNY Union, Steering Committee for Geosciences ASCEND, 2072 Justice in Geosciences Writing Team, and the Board of Directors of American Geosciences Institute. Due to my disability, my career trajectory is a work in progress with many unknowns. However, this I know... I will continue to advocate, seek Justice and Equity for People of Color, Women, the Disabled, and other Affinity groups in the Geosciences. I Show Up!