I had the privilege of attending TFA for 13 years. In fact, one of the earliest memories I have is of my mom and dad driving me past TFA’s Lower School right before I was going to start Kindergarten, pointing to the building and telling me that’s where I would be headed in a few days. I specifically remember being incredibly nervous and excited. Little did I know that I would call TFA home for 13 years. I graduated from TFA in May of 2011. That fall, I headed to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia where I majored in International Studies and minored in History and Middle East Studies. During that time, I was heavily involved in CRU campus ministry as a community group leader. Virginia Tech is also where I met my husband of almost three years now, Ben Codiroli. We both graduated in May of 2015 and got married that December.

We moved to the Washington, DC area as I pursued my Masters of Science in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University. During that time, I began working as an International Trade Analyst at Northrop Grumman Corporation, a global aerospace and defense company. I’m nearing my 3rd year with the company working in the Global Trade Management department.

My husband and I adore the DC area and have found a home in Capital Life Church in Arlington, Virginia. The wonderful thing about living near the university I graduated from is that I continue to stay incredibly close with my college friends and meet others through our Bible Study each week.

I am actually quite surprised on how often I look back at my years at TFA. I genuinely think back to those years as some of the best memories of my life. I am still best friends with girls that I met on the playground in Lower School and I fervently believe they will be my best friends for life. These past seven years since TFA, I can see with clarity all that TFA provided me. I am much more aware now of how rare and special that opportunity was. Through faculty like Ms. Damron, Coach Moreman, Mr. Kowars, and many others, I was given the foundation skills and wisdom for life, far past education alone. But most importantly, TFA prepared me and gave me the knowledge and confidence to defend and cling to my faith. That is certainly not an easy thing to do when you graduate and move on to the “real world”, but I am convinced that I was equipped as best as possible through the mission and devotion of the TFA family.