COMMUNITY STORIES: MORGAN LONG
I was always surrounded by my three siblings, including an older brother, older sister, and twin brother who have been my best friends since birth. My two supportive parents always felt prideful of us and incessantly reminded us the importance of closeness to family.
We owned all sorts of animals, such as horses, sheep, goats, pigs, alpacas, and more. Though I loved my few different childhood houses and all of the memories they held, they were not what made home what it was. It was the laughs, the family dinners, the memorable days spent outside, and every holiday we celebrated with one another.
I love being from Pennsylvania, especially as an out-of-state student attending a majority Virginian school. It makes coming home even more refreshing and meaningful.
I was unsure where I wanted to go to college, or if I even wanted to go due to feeling so unsure of my future career path. I explored colleges along the east coast of all sizes and “vibes.”
I loved how I felt when I visited campus; the people, the environment, and the traditions stood out to me the most.
I wanted to also challenge myself to go somewhere different from my siblings, parents, and friends from my hometown. This made my first year experience increasingly more challenging, but it was the best choice for my personal growth. I had to step out of my comfort zone greatly in order to make friends, navigate campus, and establish myself as a student.
Up until then, I was a Communications major, but I quickly realized it was not the right area of study for me.
I always loved using multiple mediums of media to create art and advertise various topics I have interest in. Additionally, I find myself analyzing advertisements and caring deeply about little things, such as typefaces and color schemes.
Once I learned about the ability to study further into creative advertising, it was a no brainer that I wanted to delve into it!
I help onboard new creators and supplement community-based events.
She taught me everything I needed to know about the branch and all about our wonderful creators. I began attending manager meetings, getting to know the mission behind Student-Made, and knew I could be a good addition to the already incredible team.
The ability to make people entering a new community feel seen, heard, and welcomed is something incredibly powerful. Accommodating individuals of all backgrounds who have a diverse set of motivations, but bringing us all together with a common goal of being successful entrepreneurs, will be the most beneficial tool from this position.
In order to foster a positive environment for new and current members, I need to use inclusive language, provide motivational advice, and communicate efficiently, which will only allow me to better my own relationships in my personal life.
I did not expect this position to better me as much as it has so far, and I cannot wait to see how else the community and this position can help me in my professional career.
