I never imagined writing my senior farewell from my home in Lawrenceburg, but then again, my college experience has been full of things that I could have never imagined happening.
UTM has given me one of the most enriching, eye-opening experiences. Four years ago, I came to UTM thinking that I would just go to class, do my work and get by. I am by no means an introvert; I just figured that I wouldn’t fit in in a place like Martin. I had my sister and that was enough.
As these four years have passed by, I can truly say that I was wrong. Martin has become a second home to me; it is somewhere that will always hold a special place in my heart. It has given me experiences that I truly believe I would not have gotten if I had gone to college elsewhere.
I have traveled to Washington D.C., helped a professor with research in his doctoral work, traveled to California to attend the Public Relations Society of America National Conference, toured a nonprofit in Malibu and interviewed the hosting rabbi. I have had dinner with Coca-Cola Company’s vice president of external communications, created a campaign for a university in Siena, Italy, and so much more.
All of these opportunities were made possible to me through UTM, several gracious scholarship donors and working at The Pacer.
Though I have had many great things happen to me during my college career, it wasn’t always rainbows and roses. I endured quite a few hardships as well. It would have been easy to give up, and if I am being 100% honest, there were times when I wanted to; the burden seemed almost too big to carry.
I had so many people who were supporting and rooting for me, and I am forever grateful to them. Their support helped me persevere.
My college experience would not be the same without these people, and I want to take a second to say thank you to all of them.
During SOAR, I went to Gooch Hall to create my schedule for my first ever college semester. I was greeted by a small lady with a clip in her hair and a coffee cup in her hand. Little did I know that this lady, Tomi Parrish (McCutchen), would become my boss, my mentor and my self-proclaimed school mother.
Tomi, you are one of the reasons that Martin feels like home, and I am so grateful to you. You have believed in me and invested time and energy to see me through to not only graduation but also a happy life. I cannot begin to thank you enough for all you have done.
I met Andrew Brown my sophomore year of college in Public Relations Techniques who then became a mentor and adviser for me during my time at UTM. He and his wife Amy have invested so much time into their students and for that I am thankful.
Professor (soon to be Dr.) Brown, I want to say thank you to you and Mrs. Amy for all you have done for me. Your passion for nonprofit and service to others really helped shape my ideas for my future career.
I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Dr. Jerald Ogg in my junior year and quickly learned he is everything that I aspire to be in a person. Through his classes, and Dr. Chris Baxter’s, I found my love for law. He has even inspired me to pursue a law degree in the near future.
Dr. Ogg, thank you so much for instilling your wisdom in your students. You are so kind and incredibly intelligent. I am truly blessed that you started to teach again before I graduated. Thank you for all you have done for me during my time at UTM.
Sarah, Emma, Brooke and Jessica, thank you for being the best friends a girl could ask for. God blessed me with each one of you and I look forward to seeing your successes in your careers. You are all strong, intelligent and compassionate women. Thank you for being there for me always.
To The Pacer staff, thank you for being the most amazing coworkers. The late nights and many laughs we’ve had will stay close to my heart. You are an incredible group of workers and the campus community does not realize just how much you all do to create an amazing paper. I love you all dearly.
To my dearest Bailey, you have been with me since the beginning, literally. We finally made it to graduation. You are one of the sole reasons for my success at UTM. Thank you for always believing in me, for being my best friend, for always sticking up for me and for being the best roommate anyone could ask for. I love you with my whole heart.
Lastly, I want to say thank you to all those who have made an impact on me during my college career. I may not have named you, but that does not mean you are any less important. If I named each and everyone of you, this article would be far too long.
If I can leave you with any advice, it would be to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. This is a unique time in your life and you may never have chances like these again.
Also, life can be challenging. It is easy to give up, but I beg you to hold on. The reward at the end is so much greater than the suffering, I promise. Soon, that diploma will be in your hand and all the hard work will pay off.
“Watch and pray, dear, never get tired of trying, and never think it is impossible to conquer your fault.” Louisa May Alcott – Little Women.
Photo Credit / Emma Bruner
