Collegiate Alumnae Reflect on Hutchison Experience

Hutchison caught up with several young alumnae about how their education prepared them for life after high school.
New York, Boston, Dublin, Ireland, and Cambridge, England are just a few of the cities where our young alums are beginning to take the world by storm. We spoke with several young alumnae as they visited Memphis. They gave us an update on their college experience and how their time at Hutchison gave them a head start over their peers.

Anne Grinder ’19
Princeton University

Major: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Involvement:
Society of Women Engineers, Honor Committee, Orange Key tour guide

How Hutchison prepared her: “I was really prepared in writing. Everyone at Princeton must take a writing seminar their freshman fall, and a lot of people complained about and worried about that class, but I felt just fine and totally prepared, which really set me at ease.”

What she misses most: “Being friends with my teachers. By the end of senior year, I was so close with them. Having that close bond that you get at a small school like Hutchison, there's nothing else like it.”

Advice for current students: "Hutchison is such a special place where no one ever questions you for trying something new and different. There are all kinds of opportunities in front of you with a low barrier to entry, and I would say make the most of that and spend a lot of time with your friends. My Hutchison friends are so dear to me, and I know that they'll be my friends forever.”





Monica Fleck ’18
(pictured second from left)
Naval Academy

Major: Aerospace Engineering

Minor: Arabic

Post-grad plans: Selected to go to flight school, going to be a naval aviator after two and a half years of training

Involvement: Fencing team, plays viola in the orchestra, tutors fellow students

How Hutchison prepared her: “Hutchison prepared me academically. The course loads that you can take were great to prepare you for college academics, especially our English program. I learned how to write and didn't have to worry about it at all when I got to the academy. Hutchison is also a great environment to learn how to develop relationships.”

Advice for current students: “Work hard. Take every opportunity you can, but also enjoy your time at Hutchison.”





 
Avery Boals ’19
University of Miami

Major:
Marine Science/Biology

Minor:
Chemistry and Psychology

Involvement:
Director of photography for Scientifica Magazine, member of marine biology and atmospheric science society

How Hutchison prepared her:
“Hutchison taught me how to learn. They gave me great critical thinking skills and the best techniques to study and how to take notes.”

What she misses most:
“We’re a community at Hutchison, and I miss being able to support people, whether it's in theater, going to all the productions, art events, or soccer games. It's a great community, especially with the clubs. You don't have that as much in college.”

Advice for current students:
“Take your time. Live in the moment and have fun while you're in it. Do what you love.”







Courtney Davis ’19
Cornell University

Major:
Hotel Administration with a concentration in Finance

Minor:
Real Estate

Involvement:
Sector Leader for BlackGen Capital, Publicity Chair for Les Femmes de Substance, Cornell Tradition, going abroad this spring to Barcelona, then to Africa to do research on sickle cell disease, which she lives with

How Hutchison prepared her:
“Hutchison taught us to be confident in ourselves and always be willing to ask questions, clarify, dig deep into our knowledge, and be curious. When I came to college, I noticed that many of my female peers were nervous to ask questions and speak up in the classroom. That was never something that I experienced. I was always supported when I spoke up. I feel comfortable asking thought-provoking questions in class, going to office hours, and being close with my professors since I was used to being close with my teachers in high school."

Advice for current students:
“Make those relationships with your teachers and know that they are always there to support you. If you are confused, utilize the resources around you. Things like Wilson Society, Math Lab, there are so many opportunities that Hutchison gave me that I didn't even realize were unique to our school. Take all the opportunities that are given here because there are so many.”



Helen Gillespie ’20
Columbia University

Major:
Neuroscience and behavior, on the pre-medical track

Involvement:
Human resources director for sorority, GlobeMed, tutor

How Hutchison prepared her:
“Hutchison does a great job of teaching us how to read and interpret texts and then apply those skills to our writing. We tie those skills into so many of the different classes, and that's been great preparation in connecting different subjects to each other and being able to analyze and interpret in that way. So that's been very useful in college, so important."

What she misses most:
“I really miss the tight-knit community. It's been great meeting people in college, especially in a bigger environment, but I do miss being able to recognize every face and know who everybody is on campus. I also miss having those close relationships with my teachers because it's a little bit hard to do that. In a 400-person lecture class, you just don't get to know your professors as well. Hutchison was so good about inviting people in and making it feel like a family and community in that way.”

Advice for current students:
“Enjoy your time here. Get involved with things outside of class, because the extracurriculars I participated in at Hutchison prepared me a lot for college, especially student council and planning the Beeline Bazaar. It was useful in dealing with time management skills, putting yourself out there, and getting involved with activities outside of the classroom."



Kiya Brown ’21
Tennessee State University

Major:
Mass Communications with a concentration in Integrated Marketing

Minor:
Spanish

Involvement:
Poetry Club

How Hutchison prepared her:
“I did make Dean's List my first semester. My grades got higher when started college, and I think it’s because Hutchison prepared me so well for any obstacle and class I will ever encounter with the strong educational foundation that Hutchison gave me. It helped me to be able to get through my classes in college. So, I'm very proud of that accomplishment for myself.”

What she misses most:
“I miss the community. Just being able to walk up to anybody in my grade or in upper school and be able to talk to them is the thing that I miss most. Everyone basically knew everybody. It is a strong community-based school.”
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