By Brandi Stover
When studying government and the foundations of the American system, you often learn about change-makers, and more importantly, how to become one.
As a student studying Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy at James Madison College and Public Relations at the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, I have spent my undergraduate education reading and writing about change-makers past and present.
Therefore, it seems fitting that for one of my final assignments as a student communications assistant for the Honors College, I get to write about the biggest change-maker in my own life.
When I was a senior in high school looking for a new home, it was the generosity, hospitality, and prestige of the Honors College that led me to the Spartan green and white.
When I was a shy, reserved first-year student starting over in an unknown state, the Honors College gave me a natural connection to hundreds of other Spartans, allowing me to meet some of my best friends to this day.
When I was at a crossroads and unsure of a viable career path, my placement in the Professorial Assistantship program allowed me to explore my interests and find a future career that not only suits me but makes me excited.
When I required additional employment to support myself as a financially independent student, the Honors College gave me the flexibility to work on a team where I got paid to develop my professional portfolio, setting me up for success in the future.
But most importantly, when I have been at my low points, doubting my ability to succeed in a post-graduate world, it is conversations I had with fellow Honors students, staff, and alumni that gave me the strength to dream big and ignore my inner skeptic.
For me, the Honors College was a change-maker.
From my virtual Alumni Distinguished Scholarship Competition during the COVID-19 pandemic to my final walk across the stage at the Breslin Center, it influenced nearly every part of the past few years for me: my education, my friendships and community, and my professional aspirations.
In my year and a half on the communications team, I have written countless stories on students and alumni whose Honors experiences have propelled them to success but never stopped to consider the college’s impact on me until now.
So here it is, my emphatic thank you to the Honors College. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for changing my life, for giving me the chance to grow, for always believing in me, and for cultivating a community where someone as shy as me can feel at home.
Every day is made up of tiny moments, moments that culminate in this beautiful thing we call life. It’s initially hard to tell the impact of one small moment, but I can confidently say the decision to enroll in the Honors College was a defining moment of my 21 years on this earth.
Here’s to the Honors College and to all the students who have felt its change-making impact, just like me.
Our country has seen its biggest and brightest changes due to the courageous actions of change-makers throughout history. I hope to carry the legacy of the Honors College with me, and one day make the change in the world that it made for me.