I grew up in Madisonville, which is a small town in western Kentucky. I had always considered going to the University of Kentucky because I felt that other universities closer to me weren’t right for me. However, it really didn’t click for me that I wanted to go to UK until after I toured it and looked further into the majors, clubs, and opportunities it could offer. I realized just how vast this college truly is and it really began to feel like home. Also, it helped that my dad attended UK and is currently an alum. He had nothing but good things to say about the school, and it really impacted my view of this university. I knew if I attended UK, Gatton would be the perfect college for me because of my interest in everything marketing and business, as well as the classes and opportunities offered through Gatton.
I am currently double-majoring in marketing and management with a minor in international business. I am a freshman this year, so I haven’t fully figured out my whole plan for after graduation, but as of right now I strive to be a sports marketer. I love everything sports and fitness and would really like to carry that into my passion for marketing. Also, I love the idea of having a job that would allow me to travel and be in the field of whatever I may work with. I would soon like to venture out and find an internship that would help me to reach that goal and eventually assist me in segueing into my dream career. Overall, I strive to have a job I am successful at, as well as passionate about, that would allow me to live a traveling lifestyle.
My time at Gatton, even though it hasn’t been very lengthy yet, has helped me in more ways than I ever would’ve imagined before. Opportunities such as career fairs, which I wouldn’t have even heard of without Gatton, has helped me to step my foot into the business world and begin to see what I want and don’t want in my future career. The clubs offered, such as the Sales Club, have helped me to grow my skills in different areas I had never worked on before and learn new things about myself through hands-on experience and learning. Finally, the Gatton College has been so generous to me this past year through their giving, as well. I have received scholarships, both for academics and education abroad, which have helped me to attend this college and experience all of the amazing opportunities it has to offer.
I presented a 20-minute discovery/SPIN call, where I role-played as a Sales Representative for Dell Technologies. This really drove me to learn more about sales than I ever knew before and helped me to understand what all it takes to be successful in the sales world. I learned to not only assess the situation my clients are facing, but also to diagnose the problem and provide appropriate solutions. Honestly I never thought I would be lucky enough to experience a win such as this in something I felt I knew so little about before this year, but all of the experience the Sales Club has given me and all of the research I did finally paid off. I couldn’t have done it without the help of my coaches and mentors. I am so grateful for this fantastic opportunity and am so excited to carry these skills and lessons on throughout my career.
Gatton Alumni have been so helpful in my experience here at Gatton College. I have had many alumni guide me through different experiences I have faced in this journey and they have always helped me to grow in these new adventures. Gatton alumni have assisted me in affording college, as well, through scholarships. Each and every piece of the Gatton experience is thanks to Gatton Alumni, so I will forever be grateful for all of them.
