Student reflects on choosing Carolina
Erin Nelson's comments to the Guardian Society

How it all began
My story begins in North Dakota, in a little town called Casselton, with a population just shy of 1,600 people.

As you can imagine, I get some pretty interesting reactions when people find out where I am from. People’s eyes usually get really big and some mouths even drop open. One girl after meeting me said she was surprised at the way I looked. She thought people from North Dakota would be more hairy.

Now, once people get over the shock and amazement of actually meeting someone from North Dakota their next question is "How did you end up coming here to school?" What brought me all the way down from North Dakota to South Carolina? My dad jokes that I just closed my eyes and pointed to a map but there was a little more thought that went into my decision.

Growing up I always knew I wanted to go far away for school. I saw college as an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, the perfect time to move someplace new and experience something completely different. When I was a junior in high school I went to a leadership conference in Washington D.C. and that gave me the idea to look towards the East Coast versus anywhere else.

However, I went to D.C. in January, and it is still really cold there in January . Since I am from North Dakota I have spent a lot of my life cold, and I wanted a break from that. So I researched schools that were South of D.C. and I was impressed with USC’s Communications program.

But that is only a small reason as to why I chose USC over all the other schools I was looking at. There are many many colleges between Casselton, N.D. and Columbia, S.C. that I could have attended, but I chose USC.

The impact of a visit
It is hard for me to communicate the other reason as to why. But I figure if anyone will understand what I am about to say it is this group - people who love Carolina just as much as I do.

You see there was something different about walking around this campus that put USC head and shoulders ahead of its competition... it was a feeling down in the pit of my stomach that told me this was the place for me. I will never forget the first time I turned onto the Horseshoe. I was completely blown away. I just paused and I thought "wow… this is beautiful."

Though my schedule is very busy and I often find myself hurrying through campus, if I pause and take a moment I still get that same feeling when I walk onto the Horseshoe as I did that very first time over five years ago. Part of the reason I love giving campus tours so much is because I can relive that experience over and over again. I can see the amazement in the visitors’ eyes when I tell them the history behind the South Caroliniana Library or when I tell them about various legends this University holds. I wish I could take all of you on a tour with me so you could see the excitement and passion I still have for USC. After four stressful years of college and a hundred campus tours, my love for this University has only grown.

Unique opportunities of being a University Ambassador
A large part of my positive experience here has been the time I have spent as a University Ambassador working for the Visitor Center. I am honored and very proud to say I am a University Ambassador. To me, being an Ambassador is much more than a tour guide pointing out campus buildings and spitting out university facts. We are the ‘front door’ to the University and I take that role very seriously. For many visitors, their impression of USC is based solely on their experience and time spent with an Ambassador. Whether it is a campus tour, on the phone or just them stopping by to get information, every moment spent with a prospective student is crucial.

Being a University Ambassador has given me confidence and motivation towards a career in public relations. I have developed leadership skills and gone through several professional development training sessions. I have made life-long friends and mentors and have had a ton of fun. Being a University Ambassador has helped me in so many areas and will no doubt continue to help me long after graduation.

Clearly there are many things I love about this school, but just like the end of every campus tour I lead, I will leave you with the top three things I love about Carolina.

The physical beauty of the campus
One – is definitely how beautiful the campus is. I love walking through places like the Horseshoe or the Women’s Quad on my way to class. I go to the Horseshoe all the time in between my classes if I have a few minutes. The Horseshoe holds so much history to this University, and it is important to embrace and appreciate that history and beauty.

The importance of quality faculty
Another thing I love about USC is the faculty and staff. Each semester I am continually impressed with the caliber of professors I have. I can’t tell you how many professors I have had who are teaching from textbooks they have written. It is pretty cool to look down at your text book and see your professor’s name as the author.

I am incredibly grateful for the faculty and staff in the school of Journalism and Mass Communications because without their help I would not have been able to walk into my internship with Microsoft this past summer with my head held high and confident of my skills and abilities.

Last semester, one of my professors had a goal to respond to any student's e-mail within three hours of receiving it. Now, granted that doesn’t say much about his social life, but I think it gives you an idea of the impressive dedication some of these professors have.

Southern hospitality and life-long friendships
And the last thing I will leave you with today; the third thing that has touched my life throughout my four years here is the people I have met. I have met some truly incredible people. Before coming to USC I had heard stories about ‘southern hospitality’ but nothing compares to the real thing. It just may rival the ‘Midwestern kindness’ I grew up with.

I get a little sentimental looking back on my four years knowing it is about to come to an end, but I could not have asked for a better experience. And in part, I have you to thank for it and for that I will be forever indebted to each and every one of you.

With everything the University has given to me and everything I have learned both in and out of the classroom, I am convinced more than ever that I made the right decision when I chose to attend the University of South Carolina.