Student Speak

Fall 2006

Name: Brittany Jones
Class: Senior
Major: visual communications
Hometown: Marlboro County

You're volunteering today for Cool Off Carolina. Tell us about this event. Cool Off Carolina is the Carolina Alumni Association's welcome-back event for all students on campus. Basically, we set up water guns, water balloons, kiddie pools, and sprinklers, and we get a band or a DJ to come out and play music. Our sponsors usually give us free prizes to give away to students. As you see, we have 800 Sonic milkshakes. We've got water bottles and beach towels from the Russell House Bookstore, which is another one of the Alumni Association sponsors. We gave them to the first 100 students who came out. We also have Verizon, Chase, and Carolina Collegiate Credit Union as sponsors.

How did you get involved with the Carolina Alumni Association? I got involved with the Carolina Alumni Association because I joined the Student Membership Program my freshman year. They sent out an e-mail asking for people to serve on their Advisory Board, and I sent in a little paragraph about myself. They asked me to come to a meeting, and I've been a member since then, all four years. I joined the Advisory Board the second semester of my freshman year, and I've been with them ever since, and now I actually work for the Alumni Association.

What's the best part of working with the Alumni Association? It's a lot of fun. You get to meet all kinds of people at the University because the Alumni Association is just so diverse because it's an open membership. Anyone who wants to be a member can join. You meet all kinds of students with different majors. Because we don't have meetings, a lot of people just like to come out to our events and just hang out. It's a good way to network and socialize with other members.

What other organizations have you been involved with at USC? I am currently the vice president of our University chapter of Habitat for Humanity. The University builds a house every year in the middle of Greene Street. We work really hard getting sponsors to help us. I've participated in finding volunteers to help build. I also was an RA for two years. That was very interesting. I was, as they say, always in the fish bowl. Everyone watches you, and you no longer have a name. You are RA. When people introduce you, they say, "This is my RA, so and so." It's fun. Those people who were your residents will always be your friends, and 'til forever, they'll always remember that you were their RA. This year, I'm a senior; so, I've moved off campus.

What are you looking forward to during your senior year? I'm just looking forward to all the senior events. The Carolina Alumni Association does Senior Appreciation Week. They give us wristbands, and you get to go to different stores and get discounts. And Ring Week, getting my class ring. All the fun stuff, too, like Senior Party.

Have you done any internships in your major? No, because I work for the Alumni Association and I'm a public relations officer, that counts as my internship. I do all the advertising and public relations for the Student Membership Program.

Any plans after graduation? I'm trying to decide whether I want to go to grad school. I think I might want to go and get an MBA to back up my journalism and graphic design major. I think a business degree would be very wise.

8/06