Senior Rachel Wong Gives Tips on the Steps to Leaps Pillar of Networking
Rachel Wong, who is double majoring in management and marketing with a concentration in innovation management, learned to face her social networking fears by jumping headfirst into student clubs and organizations. She says when she first came to Purdue, she felt it was important to immediately leap out of her comfort zone and get involved in student organizations - especially at the beginning of the school year.
“Do everything you can to attend as many events as possible,” Rachel says. “This is a great way to connect with people and find organizations you can relate to. You don’t have to do it all later. After a few weeks, you can pare down the organizations that you are passionate about and just focus on those.”
When Rachel arrived at Purdue, restrictions on gatherings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic meant that her first experience with college life was focused on virtual learning. She noted that there were some challenges to being stuck in her room all the time – meeting other people was a struggle! That’s when she became involved with the Purdue Foundation Student Board (PFSB), a group of students that serve as ambassadors for Purdue University’s philanthropic initiatives. She immediately signed on as the vice president of marketing and has worked hard to increase enrollment numbers for this group.
Now that classes are back in full swing, Rachel says she is taking full advantage of all Purdue offers. She says she has a great mentor who she found through PFSB that has helped her feel more comfortable in stepping out of her comfort zone and she attributes all her newfound networking and leadership skills to her.
In addition, Rachel is the president of the Steps to Leaps Students organization. The club is part of a campus-wide initiative that focuses on providing students with the tools, resources and support to master the five pillars of student success – leadership, networks, grit/persistence, well-being and impact. She says that Steps to Leaps Students sparked what she likes to learn about, and at her first club meeting, she was welcomed with open arms. Rachel says she has found a home here and enjoys this initiative's work around campus to make an impact. Rachel admits the first time she went to a meeting, there was just a small group of students, but she has worked hard to build up attendance and is now getting a lot of requests from students to become part of the initiative. She is looking forward to the Steps to Leaps Fest later this month.
Rachel has also found the time to serve as a student intern for Purdue Athletics. Rachel says she enjoys attending most of Purdue's football and basketball games. She did mention that there was one time she had to wake up at 3:30 a.m. to intern for a 5 a.m. call time – a testament to her dedication!
Outside of the curriculum, Rachel likes to spend her free time watching Netflix, relaxing and going to the gym, which she says are great ways to de-stress and focus on her wellness. She feels it is important to take a break regularly to prevent burnout. Prioritizing herself and her friends creates the balance she needs.
