Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Major: Business
Minor: International Studies
Academic interests: International Business, Marketing
Extracurricular activities: Vice President of Public Relations--Delta Delta Delta, Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus Rhodes, Morelle Legg International Intern 2014, Rhodes College Diplomats/Steering Committee, Peer Assistant (PA) Leader, Rhodes Activities Board representative
Tell the story of how you got to Rhodes College.
I’m from Arizona, and Rhodes College isn’t a school that most people there know about. I like to think that finding Rhodes was kind of like destiny. My senior year of high school, I was pretty set on going to the university in my hometown. However, my dad ended up getting a job in Memphis and wanted me to go to a school that would be close to him. Many of his work colleagues told him about Rhodes and how it was a really good liberal arts school. At that time, I was like, “What is Rhodes College and why would I want to go there?” I knew nothing about it and it seemed like just a random school all the way in Tennessee.
Once I visited and toured the campus, I realized that Rhodes was the one for me. I saw that the only reason why I had been set on going to the university back home was because it would be comfortable. But I was able to see that Rhodes had so much to offer, and I could see myself enjoying my time here. After my campus visit, my dad asked me what I thought about Rhodes and I told him that if I got accepted, I would love to go there. When the letter came, my dad was so excited—so excited that he opened my acceptance letter for me, and told me that I had gotten in.
Rhodes is my home now and I’ve enjoyed every moment being here. As a Rhodes Diplomat, one of my favorite things to do is share my love for Rhodes with prospective students!
How have you changed since beginning your studies at Rhodes College?
I can honestly say that Rhodes has changed me into a more motivated and outgoing person. As someone who had a “small voice” throughout high school, it’s refreshing for me to be able to be more open, outgoing, and involved in my community by sharing my experiences and perspectives both inside and outside the classroom. Rhodes has made me feel more confident about myself by allowing me to realize that everyone has the potential to do something great, as long as they take the steps to make it happen. It made me realize that I’m not just a student, but also a leader, an ambassador, and a scholar. The resources we have at Rhodes have opened so many doors for me, and there is nothing better than to be surrounded by people who want to see you succeed! I definitely know that my time at Rhodes has been eventful, and it has truly prepared me for whatever lies ahead!
You’ve been the editor-in-chief of Her Campus Rhodes for almost three years. How does Her Campus fill a special niche in the Rhodes community?
Her Campus is one big web site, and different colleges across the nation have their own branch. I think the great thing about Her Campus Rhodes is that it is a fun online resource for college students. Granted, it’s mostly geared towards women, but there are also articles that appeal to the general student body and cover a variety of different topics—social issues, school news, political opinions, fashion, op-eds/blogs. It’s a great outlet for collegiettes (as we call them) to get their voices out and let their creative juices flow. We engage with the Rhodes community and try to produce content that would be relatable to the average Rhodes student. Just think of us as your fun online magazine giving you the weekly dose of news, polls, school events, snapshots, Campus Celebrities and, of course, Campus Cuties!
How have you meshed your business major at Rhodes with your experiences in Memphis the past three years?
I definitely feel as though Memphis is a city that is full of exciting business opportunities and experiences. Rhodes has great connections with many different companies, whether it’s with big Fortune 500 companies such as FedEx, International Paper, and Autozone or with smaller local businesses. Because of Rhodes and Career Services, I was able to intern with FedEx’s Global Marketing team as a Global Trade Promotion intern my junior year, which allowed me to combine my passion for business and international studies into one. The overall experience provided me with an insightful look into my possible career path. I have always been interested in international business and for a semester I was able to immerse myself into my internship and work on domestic and international projects. This also led to opportunities abroad, and this past summer I interned in Barcelona, Spain, through the Rhodes business department, helping a Barcelona start-up company with market research and communications support. It just goes to show how the connections I made in Memphis and at Rhodes were able to create connections on an international level and allow me to keep pursing my academic interests.
Compiled by Ellie Skochdopole ′15