Leadership

Lead HPAC Fall 2026; HPAC Fall 2025 & 2026

The '25 Honors Scholars Cohort!

I was asked to lead as the Lead HPAC for the Fall 2026 semester in addition to being a USI HPAC. I am the connector between the honors USI HPAC leaders and Dr. Lori Oxford, the Associate Dean of the BHC. I send weekly update emails, answer questions throughout the week, have biweekly drop-in meetings for all USI HPACs, and send out biweekly Honors touchstone-focused event calendars.

I was able to serve as an Honors Peer Academic Coach (HPAC) position for the fall 2025 semester, and I will be leading the fall 2026 cohort as their HPAC as well. I hope to be considered as an approachable, caring connection and example. In this role, I am able to be a connector to different clubs and groups on campus, helping them get involved and answer as many questions as I can. I also supervise their community service project and scholars dinner.

As an HPAC, I learned a different aspect of leadership through facilitating group discussion. I had to learn how to start with broader questions and let everyone contribute and then dig deeper together as we progressively got more and more into a line of questioning. I also was able to be an energizer and set the tone on day one, and I was touched when the scholars invited me to sit with them whenever they saw me at dinner before Board.

The BoDcast

Chancellor Kelli R. Brown on the BoDcast

This semester, Carter Burchfield and I launched the BoDcast, a student-led podcast launched from the BHC Board of Directors that seeks to discuss faculty research, study abroad, and advice from educated mentors. The goal is to be a connector for students as well, so when people are meeting each other for the first time and they've said how tired they are or how sunny it is outside, they can bring up the latest BoDcast episode and talk about engaging, hopefully conversation-sparking topics.

We were able to interview Chancellor Kelli R. Brown, Dr. Jill Granger, Dr. Lori Oxford, Dr. Kaleigh Best, and some other noteable guests on topics ranging from the importance of language and study abroad to forensic anthropology and solving a cold case.

I thoroughly enjoyed emailing guests, researching and coming up with meaningful questions, and contributing to a flowing, prepared interview time. I look forward to continuing in this role in my future time at WCU!

I also gained more experience running a BoDcast Instagram account as well.

Being an RA- "Why Video" - '25-'26 and '26-'27

Spring 2026 semester, I created this video that addresses why I want to be an RA.

In spring of 2025, I was offered a position as an RA in Norton for the 2025-2026 school year, and I accepted. This year as an RA has challenged me to handle hard situations with empathetic listening and compassion, as well as enforce standards for the safety of residents. I love seeing my residents and waving while around campus and in the building, and my favorite part of the role are the one-on-one conversations that I was able to have with all of the residents on my hall!

This spring of 2026, I accepted an RA position in Blue Ridge for the 2026-2027 year. I am STOKED to be in honors college housing, and am looking forward to building connections with lots of new freshman and other honors students!

Norton Road

My home for the '25-26 year!

Blue Ridge

My home for the '26-'27 year!

2025-2026 Co-Director of PR & Marketing for the Board of Directors

I was elected to be the 2025-2026 Co-Director of PR & Marketing for the Brinson Honors College Board of Directors. I am now responsible for promoting Board events and the organization as a whole on social media and through flyers. My goals include bringing a new level of professionalism and reaching out to community partners, acting as a bridge between the community or other RSOs and honors students.

My Co-Director, Carter Burchfield

BHC Board of Directors Executive Board

Brinson Honors College Board of Directors- Full Member

Meeting in Blue Ridge Conference Room

BHC Board Meeting with President Wyatt Wilson

The Meeting I Earned Full Membership!

During my first semester at WCU, I gained full membership on the Board of Directors by attending five meetings and helping with the candy grams collection, bake sale, and Krispy Kreme donut fundraiser. I have enjoyed being able to get to know other honors students and lead my community through this organization. I joined the Community Service sub-committee, and appreciate the chance to serve my community with my peers.

Board's Purpose: "To promote academic achievement at Western Carolina University, encourage closer relations between Honors students and Faculty, nurture a sense of community and community involvement, coordinate Honors College activities, and serve as an advisory body to the Dean of the Brinson Honors College.

Board's Mission: "To be an open and welcoming environment for students interested in the Brinson Honors College to voice their opinions about building community, campus growth, and change for honors students."

-excerpts directly from the BHC BOD Constitution

Honors Day

Honors Day 2025 and 2026

With Dean Jill Granger, Lex Lapish, and Zach Curfiss

I was also able to help with the 2025 and 2026 Honors Days, conducting interviews and chatting with families and prospect honors scholars. Through this experience, I realized how much I love talking to students about Western, specifically the Honors College and all that our university has to offer.

This past year, I was also able to help lead the activity for the students. I especially enjoyed chatting with them and hopefully giving them a breather from a packed, stressful day!

WCU Recreational Therapy Association Member

RTA's Purposes:

"1. To apprise WCU students of professional issues articulated by national, state, and regional recreational therapy organizations.

2. To develop and promote programs related to recreational therapy within the WCU community and surrounding area.

3. To promote public awareness of the benefits of utilizing recreational and other activities as forms of active treatment and their roles in establishing and maintaining a balanced lifestyle."

"Students plan and coordinate a variety of fundraisers each semester to help pay for special events, service learning projects, guest speakers, and field trips to exemplary recreational therapy programs in the region. By participating in RTA students develop leadership and organizational skills relevant to their professional development. They become engaged with their community through a variety of service learning projects. And they develop bonds with their fellow students that carry on long after graduation and into their professional careers."

-excerpts directly from the WCU RTA website

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