Hi! I’m Madison but I go by Maddy. This is my second semester here at BSU. I did go to a community college near my hometown for a year before transferring here. I appreciated that year at a smaller school because it was a good transition from high school to a big university. I moved here from a small town in Southwest Washington that doesn’t even have a stoplight. My family raised beef cattle, and growing up I rodeoed and showed cattle. My horses were very important to me, and how I relaxed and how I escaped the pressures of school and work and whatever else life threw my way.

I’m from a middle-class, conservative family. Growing up, I think this narrowed my views on certain things, mostly because I didn’t encounter very many diverse views. My real-world experience was a bit limited. This wasn’t because my parents sheltered me in any way, but more because there just wasn’t a lot going on in my small town. They always encouraged me to go away to college, because it was my chance to see the world in an environment that was different and that I could make my own. For my upbringing, I like to consider myself extremely open minded; there are a lot of people where I’m from who aren’t as accepting. So, my “lens” is ever-changing as I gain new experiences and knowledge about the world. Moving to Boise was a big deal for me, and I learn new things every day. The world is so full of people and ideas, and I am loving my experiences away from home. My major is pre-radiology, and I am taking this class to fulfill my DLL. I chose this class specifically because the topics we are expected to cover interested me.