To be quite honest, I had no idea that Olivet College was a place before I got an email from Professor Duby asking if I had any interest in becoming part of the marching band. At the time, the Marching Comets were barely a marching band, only being back a year and having just over 20 people on the field. However, I had done marching band most of high school and I knew I had a slim chance of marching anywhere, so I jumped on the chance.
It’s interesting that wanting to continue being a part of a band has had such an impact in my life. Being a student here at Olivet has cause me to grow a lot in the last three years. Some people complain because Olivet is so small, but I think to get the most out of your time here, you have to get involved on campus.
Being a part of the Marching Comets freshman year made the transition to college fairly easy for me. I still had home sickness but knowing people before day one definitely made it easier.
Band gave me a place to fit in on campus and opened the door to so many other experiences. I got involved with several clubs like Common Ground and Black Student Union (BSU), along with organizations that would help me with my major like Olivet Colleges newspaper, The Echo and the radio station. I even pledged Alpha Lambda Epsilon, one of the Greek houses on campus. While I was not able to keep being a part of all the extra-curriculars because of the fact that there are only so many hours in a day and sleep is a thing, putting myself out there and trying to find something that you’re passionate about really makes the four years spent at Olivet seem like nothing.
Needless to say, it’s been one heck of a ride since that decision three years ago. Getting so involved on campus has given me the opportunity to really immerse myself in Olivet College and make so many memories.
The best thing though, is that I’ve been able to make a family that I have come to care for so much.