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THIS IS ME

I am a May 2023 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and a focus on international business. I am passionate about digital & visual marketing and I would love to join your team!

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my time in college

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skills & interests

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I was

created

to create

personal designs

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my projects

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CERTIFICATIONS

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MY story

Grief- what a strange emotion. At 18, three weeks before I was moving away to college, my dad suddenly passed away. After he passed, cardinals started appearing at these moments when it felt like I needed a sign or even just a hello from dad. These moments made the grief and loneliness feel bearable.

Moving away to college felt impossible. How was I supposed to leave my mom at home? She told me to go. She told me dad would want this for me more than anything. So, I went feeling scared, alone, and fearful of my future.

I prayed to find a friend who would show empathy, love me for where I was in my journey, and be capable of sitting with me through all of the good, bad, and ugly. Little did I know, Jesus had it in His plan that this human and I would cross paths and our stories would converge in ways we could not imagine.

Riley Hilton- my person, strong and resilient, loves beyond measure- lost her dad shortly after we became close friends. I was able to use my story to be a comfort to her when there were no words. I had the opportunity to be a light at the end of the tunnel for her. I loved her through things and feelings other people at our age could not possibly begin to understand. I shared what Cardinals meant to me and, to our amazement, we began to see two bright red cardinals, together, when we needed them most. It was never one or three, it was always two male cardinals together.

Our friendship has taught me empathy beyond words, how to lean on another when I do not have the strength to do life on my own, and how your story, no matter how ugly, can be a light to someone else who is traveling a similar road you have traveled before. Vulnerability and confidence in your story are powerful together. I am a better human because of my story- and it is not done yet!

when in london...

As a part of the Smith Global Leadership Scholars program each cohort spends a semester in London, England studying and completing an internship. We had the opportunity to go in the fall of 2021 and it was an experience of a lifetime.

I came home from London with a new life perspective, friends that are now family, and experiences I will always lean on. Living abroad is exciting, challenging, and above all else the best decisions I have ever made for myself!

My internship was with GDR Creative Intelligence- a retail innovation firm that studies the future of marketing and retail trends. I was able to experience a completely different side of marketing completing research for companies such as P&G, T-Mobile, and L'Oréal. I gained research skills, connections with a small business abroad, and business etiquette in another country.

The Program

Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars honors program- promotes the development of international and intercultural awareness and leadership, as well as personal and professional growth. This is accomplished through honors courses, professional development events, and a semester abroad in London, England.

My Cohort

The Smith GLS 2023 cohort consists of 25 humans that have carried me through college. This group of people has pushed me out of my comfort zone, supported my vulnerable moments, and been the best addition to my college chapter! They are my sunshine on a cloudy day and shoulders for me to lean on when I can't stand on my own.

People Make the Place

These six- the most wonderful humans I have ever come to know. They have been such a huge part of my story. I am who I am today, in part, due to the encouragement and love from these six. They make GLS feel like home. They made London, England feel like home. They make Knoxville, TN feel like home.

The people that made me

I am an enneagram 6- a loyalist by nature and human-centered by heart. My love language is quality time, so give me part of your day and I will be forever grateful. My people are the humans I choose to pour into, love beyond measure, and allow to push me to be the best version of myself.

The people who literally made me- Mom and Dad. My dad instilled in me my confidence, taught me how to put myself in someone else's shoes, and that home is not a place but the people. My mom showed me that love is more than just a word, but actions. She put her life on hold to raise my sister and I, to make sure she dropped us off and picked us up from school, could attend all our sporting and school events, and had a meal on the table for us when we all got home at the end of the day.

Hope- the little sister who has been my baby doll since the day I met her. A sister is a special human. She will be my forced maid-of-honor, aunt to my children, and forever friend. I am a better friend, daughter, and person because of her!

Riley- the friend I never knew I needed. My biggest encourager, confidant, and shoulder I can always lean on. The person who understands me most in the world. Losing a dad at the age of 18 seems unbearable, but is bearable when you have a friend who understands beyond words. She has made me a better friend, leader, and human.

My London girls- Cam, Reid, Browning, Kelly, Audrey, Abby. We conquered living abroad for four months together. London felt like home because of you six. The way these six people poured into me, pushed me, and never ceased to love me- I came back to the states living everyday to its fullest!

L'Orange

I am the founder and editor of L'Orange- the University of Tennessee Knoxville's newest student-run lifestyle magazine. There is no publication on campus that delivers news, campus updates, and lifestyle readings all of which L'Orange will deliver in each issue. I have a dream team that believes in and will implement my vision with their own creative style.

Sydney Davidson

Let's work together!

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