Hometown: Thomaston, Georgia

Major: Senior English major

Graduating: Spring 2024

Why did you choose to attend GSW?
I chose to attend GSW because of how tight-knit the campus is. Because of its size, I knew I would be able to get more of a one-on-one experience with the faculty. It’s also closer to home than most other universities.

Please list your University highlights, achievements, leadership and awards.

• 2024 Excellence in English Award
• Dean’s List, 3 semesters
• Housing Desk Assistant, 3 semesters
• Campus Post Office Assistant, 3 semesters

Are you currently receiving any GSW scholarships? If so, which one(s)?
I’m currently receiving the Bertschi Scholarship.

Why did you choose your major, or what do you love about your major program at GSW?
I chose to be an English major because I love learning about literature and writing. English has always been my favorite subject in school, and after trying chemistry and marketing, I finally settled on what I love. The English department is also small and close-knit, so it was easy to get to know my professors.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
People would probably be surprised to know that I was on academic probation at the beginning of my time at GSW. I’ve now grown and developed a much better work ethic and study what I’m interested in, but that was definitely the push I needed to do better and take school seriously.

What makes GSW special?
GSW is so special because of the small campus and how easy it is to make friends. Even in big classes, the faculty truly cares and there are plenty of campus activities to help develop relationships with fellow students and classmates.

What is a cause you’re passionate about?
Advocating for mental health is something I’m very passionate about. Mental health should be taken extremely seriously, and everyone should be able to ask for help when it’s needed and not feel shame for it.

Who is your favorite professor or staff member and why?
My favorite professor is Dr. Ryer in the English department. She’s taught many of my favorite classes and is such an amazing and understanding professor in the classroom and out of it. She was one of the first professors I took on my English journey and made such an impact on me by getting me out of my comfort zone and getting me to present a paper in the Humanities Symposium on campus, which I ended up loving.

What advice do you have for incoming students?
My advice for incoming students is that failure leads to success and not to give up. College can be hard, and not being good at something you thought you would love is okay. I thought that I was going to be great at chemistry, but I didn’t love it which led me to fail. I decided to take that failure as a lesson and went after something I knew I would love and now am happier than ever.

What is your favorite vacation spot or a memorable trip you’ve taken?
The most memorable trip I’ve taken was to Port Aransas, Texas. It was the first trip I’d taken with my best friend and even though I’m not a big beach person, it was so memorable and fun just being on vacation with her and her family.

Posted May 7, 2024