Sudent Sptlight | Rachel Foutz:
Published August 11, 2017
My name is Rachel, and I am currently a junior studying Accounting here at Appalachian! I am from Boone and have grown up on campus.
Ive been a member of the Appalachian Family ever since I can remember. Im a proud graduate of the Lucy Brock Daycare Center as well as Appalachian State University. My mother works on campus in Business Affairs. She received her undergraduate and Master's degrees from Appalachian. My grandmother and sister also have degrees from Appalachian. I guess you could say it is a family tradition!
Being from Boone, I never wanted to come to Appalachian until the summer of my junior year in high school when I attended the Martha Guy Summer Institute through the Walker College of Business. I fell in love with the College of Business, and was one of the deciding factors in my decision to major in Accounting and attend this great University!
At Appalachian, I am a Walker Fellow, a sister of Zeta Tua Alpha, a member of the Student Conduct Board, and a student worker in the Office of the Dean of Students and Student Conduct.
Through Walker Fellows, I serve the Walker College of Business mainly through providing tours to high school students who are interested in the Walker College of Business. This is one of my favorite things to do because I get to share my passion for the Walker College of Business and Appalachian with others.
As a sister of Zeta Tau Alpha, I serve as the Director of Socials and as a member of the Judicial Committee. Entering Greek life here at Appalachian has been amazing. I will admit that I had the typical Greek-life stereotype in my mind, but I am continuously being proven wrong. The Greek community here at Appalachian has supported me to aspire to achieve my goals and help others however I can. Through the support of Student Affairs, we can break down that stereotype for many others.
Serving as a member of the Student Conduct Board has been an honor. I think that it is truly amazing that, unlike many other schools, Appalachian allows us to be sanctioned by our peers when committing violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
Through serving as a member of the Student Conduct Board and working as a student worker in the Office of Dean of Students and Student Conduct, I am able to see the professional staff members of Student Affairs tirelessly work for the well-being of each and every student here at Appalachian.
The Division of Student Affairs has been nothing but a positive experience for me. From Vice Chancellor JJ Brown stopping to have a meaningful conversation with every student he meets, Traci Royster, Director of Staff Development and Strategic Initiatives, whom has mentored me since I was a Sophomore in high school, to Judith Haas, Associate Dean of Students, entrusting me to serve in many capacities as a student worker and taking time out of her day to check in on me and talk about my life and passion. Everyone in Student Affairs has a passion for students and watching/assisting them to succeed and reach their goals. College is scary but coming to Appalachian I never felt that I was alone because of the people who work in Student Affairs.
Because of them I feel inspired to follow my passion, veterans. I spent my first college spring break on a weeklong leadership development conference called LeaderShape. I would have never heard of LeaderShape without Traci Royster who allowed me as a high school senior to serve as her intern when she was the Director of Parent and Family Services. With the help of Alan Rasmussen, JJ Brown, and Matt Dull I was able to create a plan to live out my passion for serving our nation's Veterans. They helped me see that my major was just a trampoline that would allow me to go wherever I chose. They helped me dream big but also inspired me to change the lives of others just as they have changed mine.
Without Student Affairs I would be lost. Lost in the sense of not having an ally on campus and lost in the sense of not knowing where my life was taking me. The staff of Student Affairs has become a part of my family, and I will be forever grateful.