Name: Tessa Sipe
Year: 5th year Senior
Major/Minor: I’m a Liberal Arts major with concentrations in English, Marketing, Management, and Biology. I also have a minor in Exercise Science.
Quirky Fact: I am never without a hair tie.
What is your favorite food or drink to get on campus?
I eat at home or pack a lunch.
What is your favorite Movie or Book?
Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
What is your favorite campus event?
The Drag Show
Why did you choose Murray State University?
I visited several different schools, and a lot of them had fast food places on campus to eat. I am not a big fast food person, so I knew that wherever I went to school, it would have to have more cafeteria-style options where I could make my own food or have a kitchen. So in part I chose Murray State based on food!
Who have been your mentors?
Dr. Barbara Cobb of the Department of English and Philosophy is amazing. Her quirkiness and upbeat nature have been wonderful for me, especially when she greets students at the door for an 8:00am class. Also, MC Lampe, the LGBTQ Coordinator for Murray State University, has been inspiring. I am currently interning for this office, and MC has kind of been like the older sibling I never had. I love getting to see them every day and working with them in the office.
Why did you choose your major?
I actually switched my major in October. I was an Exercise Science major, but I wasn’t going to be able to graduate in May as I had wanted, so I switched to Liberal Arts, which offers multidisciplinary options and kept me on my original timeline. I love the freedom of the Liberal Arts major, too. It has allowed me to add the things that I already studied into my concentration areas, and if I continue school, l I can get a masters in any of the focus areas.
Tell us about any accomplishments related to your major.
As I stated earlier, I am doing an internship with the Office of LGBT Programming, and it has been a lot of fun to work there. My thesis topic is body image and gender identity, so it’s convenient to work on my thesis in the office, too, since my boss is also my mentor. I am also helping direct the drag show this semester, re-writing the MSU Alliance constitution, and working on interweaving clubs so that events are beneficial to everyone rather than giving priority to one club over another.
What are your plans after graduation?
I am moving back in with my family for about a year to work and pay off student debt. Then hopefully I’ll find a job that is good for me that allows me to travel.
What should a student new to Murray State University know?
They should definitely know the names of buildings and the locations of certain offices. Some of them are hard to find in obscure places. The Counseling Center in the Oakley Applied Sciences Building is great, but there is also the Psychological Center in Wells Hall, which is helpful if you struggle with mental illness, since they offer counseling there, too. It’s really a godsend because you get to talk to graduate students who are closer to you in age and can relate to you. Knowing where those offices are located is important for everyone.
College of humanities and fine arts 