» 2009 » October

Hello!!! Well I guess because this is my first posting as a staff blogger I should begin with an introduction of myself. Well here it goes…

I am Ashley Mackenzie and I am a proud 2007 graduate of North Carolina State University with a B.A. in Public and Interpersonal Communication. I graduated from Southeast Raleigh High School in 2003. So I guess you can say that I didn’t travel far from home when it came time to attend college. Although “home” was just up the street, NC State felt like a whole new world to me. I was very active in high school with cheerleading, track, community service, etc., so I was ecstatic when I got to NC State and there was always something for me to do on campus. I kept myself busy with schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and meeting A LOT of new people. I can honestly say that I enjoyed my time at NC State and I do not regret staying in Raleigh.

How did you end up back at NC State? That’s a great question and I’m glad you asked! After I graduated from NC State I began working in Corporate America, and I am convinced that my time at NC State prepared me for the fast pace world of Corporate America. However, overtime I realized that my passion is in the higher education field. So what better place to begin a career in higher education, than North Carolina State University!

I am now an Admissions Counselor for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and I’m loving every minute of it! Within the first few weeks I have already travelled in North Carolina from the Mountains to the Sandhills and several places in between. I get a chance to speak with high school students and parents who are interested in NC State, and not only can I assist them from the admissions prospective but I can also tell them about my personal experiences during undergrad. It’s a great feeling to be able to help students who are in the same position that I was in just a few years ago.

I think that I joined the Admissions staff at an awesome time because there is a lot going on with Fall College Fairs and High School visits, Application Deadlines approaching, and our 2009 Open House on October 17th. The best part is that I get to be apart of all of it! I’m excited about attending my first NCSU Open House as a staff member as opposed to being a prospective student. I know that it’s going to be great! Don’t worry I’ll give you the update on my first big event as an Admissions Counselor.

A couple of days ago, I was able to attend the National Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk. The Buddy walk established by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. It has now become the premier advocacy event for Down syndrome. I attended the buddy walk with my sister and girlfriend, through their Master’s program at NCCU. There were so many people promoting the awareness of Down syndrome. Everybody was playing games, eating food, and having a good time. I was amazed at the musical selection. The first musical act was a group of drummers, some of the drummers had Down syndrome. They were really good, and very animated. It was cool seeing people come up and learn to play the drums after their performance. The next group of performers was a band. They had a Blues Clues feel. I really enjoyed watching the band interact with the children who were at the event. At one point, they had a dance-off. This little boy jumped in front of everybody and danced his heart out! I guess I don’t need to say that he won the dance-off. The actual walk took place at the end of the event.  Everyone walks around a track that is lined with posters of children with Down syndrome. This is where reality set in for me. As much fun as I had, I quickly realized how important it is to advocate for Down syndrome. According to the Buddy Walk website, buddywalk.org, since its creation in 1995, over 2,000,000 people have participated in a Buddy Walk world-wide. I challenge you to research Down syndrome, and join a Buddy Walk in your area. I promise you it will change your life.