When I
arrived at Lehigh University I was not sure what this summer would have in
store for me. This is my first time in Pennsylvania and my first time in the
Northeast. My family told me that life here would be much faster. This could
have been overwhelming especially for me considering I have spent the last five
years living in Tennessee where life is slower and we walk just about as fast
as we talk.
I recently completed my undergrad
at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN about 40 minutes West of
Nashville, where I received my Bachelors in Psychology
and a double minor in Political Science and History. I loved college and I had a great time, even though I may have been a little overly involved at times. My freshman year at APSU I decided to go through the formal recruitment process. A little surprising since I never planned on joining a sorority, nor did I think very fondly of the concept. However, after the first event of recruitment I was hooked. I loved everything about the process. Through recruitment I became a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and to this day maintain that it was one of the best decisions I made. Being a part of Greek life in general was a very rewarding experience. As an active member in ADPi I served as New Member Coordinator and held a few smaller chair positions, but spent most of my time on the Panhellenic side of things.
and a double minor in Political Science and History. I loved college and I had a great time, even though I may have been a little overly involved at times. My freshman year at APSU I decided to go through the formal recruitment process. A little surprising since I never planned on joining a sorority, nor did I think very fondly of the concept. However, after the first event of recruitment I was hooked. I loved everything about the process. Through recruitment I became a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and to this day maintain that it was one of the best decisions I made. Being a part of Greek life in general was a very rewarding experience. As an active member in ADPi I served as New Member Coordinator and held a few smaller chair positions, but spent most of my time on the Panhellenic side of things.
On Panhellenic I served as Director of
Recruitment Counselors, Director of Recruitment and Panhellenic President. This
is where I really found what I was passionate about. Don’t get me wrong I love
ADPi, the values, the sisterhood, and the bonds I formed. Being a part of Panhellenic
was the bigger picture. I have always been attracted to the bigger picture when
it comes to things, putting my own objectives aside and working towards the
greater good for the community. When it comes down to it I believe that we all
are working towards the same goals, so why not accomplish those goals together
and work collectively as a whole for the greater good of the ‘Greek’
community.
During my time on Panhellenic and
time spent with my Greek Advisor (whom I had an amazing relationship with) I
discovered that this was something more than just a hobby. Student Affairs was
something I could see myself doing for a living that would be rewarding. Thus
began my search into Higher Education Student Affairs programs. The more I
researched and sought out programs the more excited I became about the process
and the more this seemed to just ‘fit’. I’ve had jobs in the past that haven’t
been the most rewarding, and I’ve had jobs where I’ve been able to walk away
and at the end of the day I felt as though I made a difference. It may not have
been the biggest impact for the whole world to see, but even seeing the smallest
progress was satisfying. When it comes to Student Affairs this is exactly what
impact I would like to make working with students, let’s be honest everyone
wants to feel they helped make some difference.
After being at Lehigh for a few
weeks now working with OFSA, I know that I have made the right decision to get
started on my program at University of Toledo. Lehigh’s OFSA has been a huge
eye opener and I love seeing the different programs in place to help student
development and all those learning experiences outside the classroom. There is
so much more beyond a student’s academic development and Lehigh University
recognizes this and does a great job in the personal development of students. It
is refreshing being at a university so dedicated to the personal development of
its students, especially since that is something I am passionate about. The
learning experiences we take away from being a part of Greek Life, the
relationships we form, the offices we hold, and the challenges we face all
contribute to our personal identity. Being at Lehigh has only furthered my
passion for Student Affairs and I feel very lucky to be working with a
dedicated staff that is continually challenging the ‘Greek Community’.