Getting started on my journey
CU Boulder was always my dream school, so I knew early on that I wanted to apply. I originally applied to the Leeds School of Business, but was instead placed in Exploratory Studies, a new program for the university to expand my knowledge in hopes of getting placed into Leeds later on where I hoped to study Marketing. I was in the first batch of students to start in this program and I wasn’t sure where my journey would take me.
The process
After being placed in Exploratory Studies, I began to take some prerequisite courses as the first step needed to Intra-University Transfer (IUT) into Leeds. In my first semester, I took Microeconomics and Intro to Statistics and I realized that Marketing was not what I wanted to do. After making this discovery, I switched my track to the College of Media Communication and Information (CMCI) in hopes of majoring in Strategic Communication with a focus in Advertising. I took the prerequisite course of Advertising, Public Relations and Design and loved it! It combined my love for photography and design with communication and was the ideal fit. After completing the IUT process I was admitted into CMCI. If I hadn’t been admitted into Exploratory Studies, I never would have discovered my path. My advisor guided me to take courses that fit my interests and it paid off.
In CMCI you have to have a secondary area of study with your degree such as a minor or certificate. When deciding on my secondary area of study I had a difficult time picking because I only knew certain topics based on the general education courses I had taken my first year. I knew I enjoyed my Philosophy class and the writing and critical thinking skills I learned from it, so I added a Philosophy minor to my degree. I also enjoyed my Peace, Conflict and Security (PACS) course and decided to get a certificate in that as well. My minor and certificate aren’t related to my major but they have allowed me to diversify my college experience and skills for future jobs. My PACS certificate even led to further opportunities and I was given a grant to go study at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey California and complete a Peacebuilding Certificate at the graduate school (something I completed as an undergrad!).
Finding my interests
When I began my academic journey, I had no idea where I would end up or the opportunities that I’d be given, but it all has worked out well. All of the resources provided for me, like the academic coaches, helped me to get to where I am today. I love my major and am so happy with what I am learning every day. Although it took me a little while to figure out my path, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to explore different areas to find my right fit. Even though I completed the IUT process during the second semester of my sophomore year, I am still on track to graduate a semester early. It is still possible to graduate on time even if you begin your IUT process late, just like I did. The main takeaway you should get from my journey is to be open-minded. Having goals is great, but learning to be adaptable is the key tool to success and will help you in many other scenarios outside of school.
