Real People Profiles: Catie Collins

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:01:00 -0400
real-people-profiles

I’m asking some of the people you might encounter on the UMBC campus, including students, faculty, staff and alumni, to answer a few questions about themselves and their experiences. These are their responses.

Name: Catie (with a C) Collins

Hometown: Mount Airy, MD

Q: How long have you been at UMBC?

A: This is my third glorious year at UMBC!

Q: What is your current title (job or student organization position)?

A: SGA Supreme Court Judge Advocate, Vice President of Stilettos a cappella, and Student Administrative Assistant over at the Office of Institutional Advancement.

Q: In 12 words or less, what role(s) do you play on campus?

A: Wordy wielder of impartiality, student advocacy enthusiast & musical morale booster.

Q: What aspect of your UMBC role(s) do you enjoy most?

A: In every role I have on campus, I work with the most amazing people. That is not an exaggeration. In working at OIA, I get the chance to chat with Vice President Greg Simmons, who is one of the nicest people on campus. He not only regularly checks in with me about my student experience, he’s also always willing to answer any questions I have about UMBC itself. It’s refreshing to see that the administration is truly invested in seeing students succeed. (Also, for the record, I once heard him sing “Single Ladies”).

And then there are the SGA members I have the joy of working with. At the groundbreaking, I had the most wonderful experience of walking towards a sea of people in gold SGA shirts who turned to me and collectively shouted “CATIE WITH A C!” If that doesn’t warm the cockles of your heart, I don’t know what does.

Q: What is the most important or memorable thing you learned in college/have learned at UMBC?

A: A two-part incredibly important lesson: be patient and don’t get discouraged.

Ah, discouragement. It’s easy to feel powerless, particularly after you’ve attempted something and the results weren’t quite what you hoped. At the risk of sounding cliché, there’s a lot of truth in “try, try again”. If you just take that one extra step (reach out! Ask questions!), you’ll be surprised to find how many resources there are on campus to *empower* you, rather than leave you powerless.

As for the patience aspect…time for a real-life experience story. Ever since my freshman year I’ve been trying to find my right fit at UMBC – academically, socially, and even residentially. I followed the advice that everyone hears: “get involved”. I joined organizations and went to events, but it wasn’t some kind of immediate revelation like everyone said it would be. I still felt like I didn’t really belong.

Then this year, somehow, everything clicked, and I’m suddenly *that* girl – the one who walks into the SGA office without fear and feels warmly welcomed, who’s considering ordering monocles in bulk for an a cappella concert, whose suitemates are like a sickeningly adorable family, and who finally feels wonderfully engaged and fulfilled academically. UMBC has become my true home. I live here, work here, study here, and gladly trade in my free time to be as absurdly involved as possible. (Moral of the story: Get Involved. Be Patient. It will happen.)

Q: Complete this sentence: "I am a big fan of __________"

A: A napping zone. Think about it.

Q: Do you have any UMBC stories, little-known facts about UMBC, favorite spots on campus, or anything else you’d like to share?

A: Fun fact: Do you know what percentage of UMBC’s overall costs is paid for by tuition? Around 25%! (These are the things I find fascinating – I didn’t think it was so little!)