Olivia was born in Knoxville, TN, and has called
this city her home ever since. She happily shares the same date of birth with
her twin sister, Rachel, whom she spent the majority of her adolescence with and continues to call her best friend. They both
loved chasing after their older brother and sister, whose activities were
always more intriguing, of course. Olivia discovered a passion for basketball
after joining the church league at the age of 5 and continued to play
throughout high school. This took up much of her time as an adolescent, but she
always made time for sleepovers with girlfriends and outings with family.
Academics and sports were Olivia’s priorities in
high school. She learned the value of hard work, practiced self-discipline, and
built relationships with teammates and classmates until it was time to move
onto college. Upon returning to UT Knoxville after a year in Chattanooga, she
began her fall semester as a Business Administration major; however, she was
not completely passionate about the program and searched for something
more fitting to her outgoing, active lifestyle. In spring of the same academic
year, she took an elective Microbiology class and decided the sciences were
more suitable (and significantly more exciting) for her. Her passion for
running and interest in health, science, and nutrition prompted her to seek
advising from a nutrition counselor, and in the spring of 2011, she changed her
major. The next few years were filled with endless studying in her favorite
local coffee shops, working part-time jobs, building new (and old) friendships,
and discovering new passions, one of the most important being her field of
study. She graduated with a BS in Nutrition with the class of 2014 and is currently pursuing a Graduate Degree at East Tennessee State University in the Master's of Science in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetic Internship Program.
Olivia is a firm believer in hard work and
self-sufficiency; she strives to apply herself to the fullest in her everyday
life as a student, employee, volunteer, and eventually a professional. She
hopes to make an impact on those around her in terms of health and overall
well-being.