Occupation: I just graduated from Grove City College in Pennsylvania this spring, with a degree in political science. Right now, I’m working at Rock Ridge Country Club, for the summer.

Family: My husband, Tim Kerr, and I just got married June 1. I’m from the Washington, D.C., area, in Maryland.

Pets: None yet. I would love to have pets, but we’re renting for now.

How long have you lived in Newtown? We moved to Newtown the end of June. Tim grew up here, and his whole family is in the Connecticut area.

What do you like to do in your free time? I love reading. I’m an academic. I love history and politics. I recently took up cooking and I’m looking up all kinds of cuisines. My in-laws have a cute little garden. Where I grew up, we didn’t have the space or climate for growing our own vegetables. Now I’m seeing where herbs and things like zucchini actually come from. It’s great, how everyone has the space to grow things here. I also joined the Newtown Historical Society as soon as we moved to Newtown. It’s great. They’re active and always doing things.

Do you have a favorite book? That’s the hardest question, ever! I’m into Arabic literature. I spent some time in Egypt studying abroad, but I got evacuated during the Arab Spring Uprising. I was literally three blocks from Tahrir Square. During that time I got interested in the Arabic poetry. The script is not only a language, but also an art form. My favorite Arab author is Najuib Mahfouz. He’s known as Egypt’s national author, and won the Nobel Prize in literature a while back.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? I would say the Middle East. The culture is so different here. It’s not all pyramids and camels, either. Cairo is a booming metropolis. And there is an intersection of all kinds of faiths and traditions.

What is the best thing about Newtown? I think everyone is a very good steward of what they have. They take care of things. The work ethic here is different than anything I’ve encountered. I’ve never worked anywhere where people actually like going to work. Everyone works hard, and my boss is great. Everyone in Newtown seems very aware of the history of his or her home and I find it fascinating.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? Probably my parents. My parent emigrated from Central America. They taught me the things I value most: staying close to family, faith, being kind and gracious, and a lot of character attributes.

Do you have a personal philosophy? I’m a devout Christian, so I ascribe to that. I’m always struck by how Christ advocated mercy and grace toward others. We’re just human and imperfect.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? Lately, it has been food, since I started cooking. Baked goods are my one indulgence. I’m not much of a baker, so I love going to bakeries around here.