Featured Student: Bailey Porter

Name: Bailey Porter

 

Year: Senior

 

Major/Minor: Liberal Arts- Anthropology; Minor- Sociology

 

Quirky Fact: I was one of the colonizing members of the Rho Alpha chapter of Delta Zeta on Murray State’s Campus.

 

What is your favorite food or drink to get on campus?

My favorite thing to get on campus is cucumbers from the library.

 

What is your favorite Movie or Book?

MY favorite book is The Perks of Being a Wallflower

 

What is your favorite campus event?

My favorite campus event is Rock-a-thon (Alpha Gamma Delta’s Philanthropy Event), because I have had the opportunity to choreograph for my sorority for the past three years.

 

Why did you choose Murray State University?

I had actually never toured the campus or anything, and had only applied to it as a backup school. I was completely set on going to University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. My brother had toured Murray State three years before me and would wear Murray State shirts, but I didn’t really know much about it. I thought it was a tiny school in a small town. I was completely set to go UT Chattanooga, had my roommate picked out and we even got matching bedding, then two weeks before move-in day something came over me that I didn’t want to go there anymore. I decided I wanted to go to Murray so I walked down into the kitchen and told my mom, and then we decided that I better tour the campus. We made a few phone calls and I was able to get into a room and get set for the last orientation. When I got to campus, I soon realized why I wanted to come here and why I had been brought here. I didn’t get saved until I got on campus, and now I am a Christian. Looking back I can now see that God was the one that brought me here because my path would have been very different if I went to UT Chattanooga. I really feel like God brought me here and it was really none of my choice.

 

Why did you choose your major?

My major is technically Anthropology. I came in undecided, so my advisor, Dr. Barbara Cobb, told me to just pick a bunch of entry level classes. I took introduction to cultural anthropology, and I found it so fascinating the whole semester. Dr. Ortmann teaches the class, and he is so enthusiastic, I just couldn’t get enough during his lectures. I just fell in love with it. I wanted to learn more about it, so I met with Dr. Cobb to see what I could do, since we don’t have an Anthropology major here, and we were able to figure out a plan for me to pursue a Liberal Arts major with a concentration in Anthropology. When Dr. Venter came to the university, she started offering more anthropology classes, so I take those along with some online courses. I also take a lot of Archeology classes, which are really cool. The Liberal Arts major is tailored for students who are interested in majors that aren’t offered here, or who are too far along to change your major completely. It still has required courses and a structured plan. Liberal Arts allows you to build your classes with two concentrations, a minor, and a study abroad trip. You can tailor your own major to fit what you are wanting to do after college and still have that structure.

 

Who have been your mentors?

My advisor, Dr. Cobb, has really helped me a lot. She is the reason that I am on the path that I am. She has helped me choose a major, find internships, and figure out my study abroad experience. She was also one of the main people guiding my thesis, and she was always so patient and offered great advice. She has just been amazing. Another mentor has been Kim Newbern, the Greek life coordinator for Murray State. Being in charge of recruitment for a new chapter, I needed a lot of guidance. Kim was always just a phone call away. She helped me and my chapter so much. She does a lot for this campus and for Greek life, and I feel like a lot of times she is overlooked.

 

Tell us about any accomplishments related to your major.

I think one of the biggest accomplishments is that I maintained a 4.0 for several years and I still have a strong GPA now. It is a big personal accomplishment for me to maintain a good grade point average while being very involved in various activities. I am such a procrastinator, so I am proud that I have been able to stay on top of my grades. I also had the opportunity to study abroad in New Zealand, and while I was there, I was able to do some independent research. I feel like that is an accomplishment in itself, to take all the knowledge my professors have given me and apply it in that experience. Also, I have an internship with the American Quilters Society. I really want to go into event planning, large scale event planning, and the Paducah Quilt Week is the biggest event we have in this region. Quilt week is a massive convention where they have educational seminars on quilting, guest speakers, workshops, and several other things. There are about 50,000 people that come to this event, and I have the opportunity to be on the committee for it. The committee consists of multiple departments, so I have been able to go around to the different departments and really understand everything that goes into planning such a large event. It is a bit overwhelming at times, but it is extremely beneficial for to what I am wanting to do in my career.

 

What are your plans after graduation?

Porter has accepted a position as the official vendor coordinator for the American Quilter’s Society.  She will be working with and coordinating over 200 vendors for each of the eight shows the society sponsors each year. There is not a major for event planning, which is why the liberal arts major was the perfect route for her. What started out as an internship for her major in liberal arts, turned into a job with the American Quilter’s Society.

 

What should a student new to Murray State University know?

I think new students don’t take advantage of Pogue Library enough. It is my favorite place because it is so quiet and there is so much natural light. It is so beautiful. The couches are also very comfy if you just need a nap! Taking advantage of Pogue library is great. Also, new students should  meet with their professors because everything is so different when you actually have a relationship with them. I am one to kind of run late to class or sleep in and not want to go, but once I developed those relationships it wasn’t so much of me worrying about missing class but rather that “Dr. Venter is going to be so upset if I miss this.” They are also very understanding, too. I am involved in a lot and work full time. I work all day and then may have events at night and then have class early the next morning, but having those relationships will allow your professor to be more understanding. I know freshman may be a little nervous, but being honest with your professors and developing those relationships is so important.