Admissions Blog Posts

How I’ve been Involved on Furman’s Campus!


Last updated February 8, 2023

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Hello! My name is Gracie Carroll, and I am a sophomore from Aiken, South Carolina. In high school, I was highly involved, and I knew I wanted to continue being so in college. Furman has so many clubs and organizations, so it’s very easy to find an extracurricular you’re passionate about! When looking into these clubs, I was sure to choose to invest my time into organizations that would help me grow socially but would also help me figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I’m a Communications Studies major on the Media track with a minor in Visual Strategy. After joining clubs and holding leadership positions, I have realized that post-grad, I want to pursue a career in social media marketing.

I’m only two years into my time at Furman but already making a point to seek out opportunities within my organizations that will better prepare me for life outside of Furman has been my best decision to date!

Greek life is not just a great way to get involved and meet new people, but sororities and fraternities also offer tons of opportunities for leadership roles! I am currently the marketing director for my sorority, Chi Omega. This position has taught me how to manage a social media account while showcasing the variety of strengths the women in my chapter possess. I’ve learned how to take critiques and work with suggestions to provide a fresh, unique image for my sorority!

I am also a part of the Communications Studies Advisory Board. Our responsibilities are to coordinate activities for Communication Studies majors such as CLPs, alumni panels, and senior night celebrations, and I am the media chair for the board! I am tasked with creating the publicity for all of our events. This position has taught me how to work with professors and other students who have the same interests as me. I’m able to learn from those who have way more experience, and I have had the opportunity to be mentored by professionals!

My biggest (and favorite) involvement is with the Furman University Student Activities Board (FUSAB). FUSAB’s role on campus is to plan large-scale events to engage the whole student body! Some of the events we put on are our Winter Wonderland celebration, Homecoming, a winter ball, and a concert. We also run smaller, more niche events like free meals at a local hibachi restaurant, DIY fanny packs, and an Oktoberfest celebration on the Mall! My role in FUSAB is the Vice President of Public Relations. With this role, I am in charge of marketing for all events! I’ve learned how to organize and execute large-scale marketing strategies with social media, posters, fliers, stickers, promotional videos, and more! FUSAB has greatly widened my skillset and has brought me so much clarity as to what I want to pursue as a career.

Getting involved at Furman isn’t a necessity, but it is truly the best way to put yourself out there and learn new things! I’ve learned that I am creative, dependable, and good with time management. Joining these organizations has introduced me to some of the best people! Learning how to balance school, extracurriculars, and social life can be difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, your college experience will improve exponentially.

If I could offer one piece of advice, it would be to put yourself out there! What’s the worst thing that could happen?

 

-Gracie Carroll