Nekeisha Lynne Randall likes that UGA has given her the opportunity to become more well-rounded, to enhance her leadership characteristics and to find her niche on campus. She is a collegiate 4-H participant and the only Georgia 4-H youth ever selected to serve on the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees. She was also presented with the UGA Black Faculty and Staff Organization Founders Scholarship. She was a “Top 12” student at UGA, honored with a Rotaract Service Award by Rotaract UGA and the Athens Rotary Club. In the local Athens community, she has volunteered at Gaines Elementary School and Alps Road Elementary School with kindergarten students, provided school supplies for Alps Road Elementary School students, assisted with a carnival for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens, helped build an Athens Area Habitat for Humanity home and served as a national and global Youth Service Day Planning Committee Member. After graduation, she will be attending graduate school.
Hometown:
Fort Valley, Ga.
High School:
Peach County High School
Degree objective:
B.S.A. in agricultural communication with an emphasis in advertising
Expected graduation:
Spring 2008
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
I have had the chance to speak to the Georgia State Legislature, serve on SGA’s Freshman Board, and participate in UGA’s Center for Leadership and Service Dawg Camp Discovery program for three summers. I have received awards such as Resident Assistant of the Month, the “I’ll Be There Award,” and the “Community Developer Award.” I am currently a College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Ambassador, a Georgia Recruitment Team Member/Football Hostess, a Omega Campus Ministry member. I am a Coca-Cola Foundation Scholar, a LeaderShape Institute Graduate, a National Honor Roll Scholar and a Georgia 4-H Camping Program Leadership Counselor Award Recipient. I am also a recipient of the Ted & Gerrye Jenkins 4-H Scholarship, the CAES Dudley Mays Hughes Scholarship, and the CAES Joseph H. Marshall International Scholarship. I am also a member of several honor societies including, National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS), Blue Key National Honor Society, Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership & Honors Organization, Dean William Tate Honor Society, Delta Epsilon Iota National Honor Society, and Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society.
Current Employment:
I am a resident assistant in Brumby Hall. Each year, I live and work with a wonderful group of 30 females. Among administrative work and other duties, I seek to create a community on my hall by planning creative programs, being a mediator when needed, and dispersing useful information and resources to all residents. I strive to meet the needs of my residents by serving as a counselor, a friend, a role model, a resource, and an enforcer of policies. As a student and as a resident assistant in a first-year residence hall, I have learned that the transition from high school to college, from a bedroom in a home among family members to a dorm room, and from a small group of friends to having the opportunity to interact with more than 30,000 individuals can be a negative overwhelming experience or a positive adventure. The skills that I have enhanced, the residents that I have bonded with, and the memories that I have developed (and have yet to develop) have helped make my college adventure worthwhile and unforgettable.
Family Ties to UGA:
My mother graduated from Fort Valley State University, but she also took graduate-level courses here at the University of Georgia.
I chose to attend UGA because…
…I wanted to attend a university that allowed me to explore and experience opportunities such as research and study aboard programs. In addition, I wanted to be able to meet many new people and participate in positive campus activities while obtaining the best education possible…UGA provided all of this and more.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
I love “Dawgs After Dark!” Students have the opportunity to do a lot of neat things (such as laser tag, Build-A-Bear, rock climbing, caricatures, carnival rides, etc.), have positive fun, and enjoy delicious food…all for free! I also thoroughly enjoy attending football games as a third-year Georgia Recruitment Team (GRT) Member and Football Recruitment Hostess. By participating in organizations such as GRT and serving as a second-year CAES Ambassador, I am able to promote UGA to prospective students and interested parents, which is something that I always look forward to doing. I also love attending a lot of residence hall-related and campus-wide events to get first-year students excited about UGA and to welcome returning students.
When I have free time, I like…
…reading, writing, dancing, singing, stepping, traveling, laughing, volunteering, and meeting new people. I also like to shop, watch movies, and be “crafty.” My hobbies also include being a public speaker on behalf of Georgia 4-H and other organizations, mentoring children and having positive fun with family and friends.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
…play Yoda from Star Wars in a Dawg Camp Discovery skit in front of 200 incoming first-year students. I moved my mouth while someone spoke for me over a microphone. It was a funny sight to see!
My favorite place to study is…
…at the Connections Café and at the Athens-Clarke County Library because these places separate me from possible distractions that may be on-campus. When the weather is nice, I also like to study in the Founder’s Garden and on the grass around Brumby Hall because I get to study and enjoy fresh air, beautiful scenery, and great weather all at the same time.
My favorite professor is…
…Ruth Ann Lariscy. Her personality, her teaching style, and the special attention she gives her students is very much appreciated. I also enjoyed my Introduction to the New Media Institute course with Scott Shamp because of the student interaction he incorporated and because of his great personality and love for his career.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
…my mother’s mother, my grandmother, who passed away when I twenty-one months old. I would love to talk to her about her life and about some of my extended family members that I did not have the opportunity to meet before they passed away. I would cherish her wisdom, love, and advice, just as my mother has.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
…pursue everything that I may be afraid of pursuing because and I would seek to conquer my greatest fears. Being concerned with limitations and doubts that either I put on myself or that are presented by society (and by life, in general) would not be an issue and the level of my dedication, determination, and discipline would be not hindered.
After graduation, I plan to…
…start graduate school in the fall of 2008. Being involved in youth development organizations, including 4-H and FFA, has helped me to develop a love for youth and the issues that concern upcoming young generations. My career objective is to help the public understand the generational changes in organizations like this, their mission, their goals and their positive results. My goal is to become a spokesperson and a voice for youth whose voices may not be loud enough or for those organizations that may not have a voice at all.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
…my first UGA study-abroad adventure. I have always dreamed of being an international traveler and throughout the years, my dream has never vanished. Now, my dream has turned into a passion to broaden my horizons, explore new surroundings and learn by doing. This is why I chose to explore, dream and discover by studying abroad in Armenia with The University of Georgia. It went “shat lav” (very well)!
