My Background

Major: Journalism/Public Relations (Sports Communication Certificate Program)

Hometown: Libertyville, IL

Junior (transferred sophomore year from Miami University of Ohio)

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I was raised in Libertyville, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. Like many out-of-state students, I became aware of the University through academic reputation and basketball. ESPN and U.S. News and World Report necessitated a stop in Chapel Hill on my East Coast college tour. As soon as I stepped foot on campus, I fell in love with it. Right away I could tell that the people here were a slightly different breed of collegians. While everyone seemed to be bright and energetic, I was astounded at how friendly and helpful the average Tar Heel actually was. A friend of mine chose Carolina based on how students answered the question “what time is it?”

Despite my love of the campus atmosphere and the people that made it what it was, I had the notion that I was not going to have the academic clout to earn admission. For that reason, my visit to Chapel Hill was bittersweet. My prediction came true; I was not admitted to the University as a high school student.

My Carolina dream did not end there. I worked hard my first semester and re-applied to the University. This time it worked. I remember my mom calling me from hundreds of miles away, blubbering out the words that she wanted to say as much as I wanted to hear. “You’re accepted to Carolina!”

Almost two years later, I am living my dream. Every day I walk on the same ground as my Tar Heel predecessors. Strolling through McCorkle Place at night, I cannot help but think about William Richardson Davie planting our beloved tree to mark the place where the country’s first public university would thrive. The lives and stories that have passed through these historic grounds are enough to make me wonder; how did I become a part of this?

Surely, I have become a part of it. I work part-time for the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, which has given me the opportunity to speak with cancer survivors and understand a bit more about the human spirit than I thought I could have in my college years. As a Carolina Admissions Ambassador, I do much of what I am doing writing this letter: letting people know about the magic of Carolina. I conduct family tours, contact admitted students and serve as a gateway to our University. I was also recently accepted into Carolina's Order of the Bell Tower.

As I write this document, I am sad that my undergraduate days are limited. I am a journalism major focusing on public relations, and I chose this major, in part, so that I might have a shot at my dream job: working for the University in some capacity. Carolina has a magnetic effect. My parents were born and raised in Illinois, yet they are considering retiring in Chapel Hill. This University truly is something to be shared, and I hope you can learn to love the place we call “blue heaven” just as I have. Remember, if you visit Chapel Hill, it is very likely that you will sing its praises as well.