Hope McGuire

When I first came to SMWC, I had no idea what my future held. When I drove through the gates, it instantly felt like my home away from home. My first experience walking on campus… I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! I couldn’t believe it – I was finally in college!

Even though I was scared my first year, the orientation leaders, the admissions staff and the track team made me feel welcomed. I came to The Woods because the campus is amazing, and I felt like I belonged. The animals are my favorite! I love that I can just go outside, sit down and enjoy the weather with them.

As a student-athlete, my college experience has kept me accountable and helped me grow. Being a student-athlete is hard on the body but is rewarding through the traveling and meeting of new people. I love it!

Making the dean’s list my freshman year revealed to me that I can be successful in school and sports at the same time. If I put my mind to it, I can do anything. This is my motto every day that keeps me motivated.

As a student ambassador, I love sharing my love for The Woods with future students and helping them see this is a place they could call home. It shows me that people want to know about my opinion. Because of the impact my orientation leaders had on me, I applied to be an orientation leader my sophomore year. I wanted to make everyone feel comfortable and explain to them that they belong at The Woods. Being an orientation leader allowed me to be a resource for new students when they needed help.

At SMWC, there are many opportunities to be involved. The Black Student Association (BSA) piqued my interest my freshman year, and I was nominated to be president this year. It made me want to be a leader for others, helping other people of color feel comfortable and show that I am here for them throughout my years at The Woods and beyond. I love this school and can’t wait to see where I will go from here.