1)Where are you living and what have you been doing since graduating from W&L in 2008?
Kelley: I live in New York City with three other W&L ’08 roommates. Since graduating I’ve been working in advertising at McCann Erickson NY. I work in account management in the pharmaceutical and healthcare division of McCann.
2) What made you decide to take this job and to move to NYC?Kelley: I’ve been intrigued by advertising since I was little. I used to tear print ads that I liked out of magazines and cover my bedroom walls with them! But it wasn’t until after taking Professor Macdonald’s Art in Business class my freshman year at W&L that I was convinced I wanted to pursue a career in advertising. I first visited McCann during my Junior year on the Advertising Trip to NYC that Professor Macdonald organizes every year and really liked it. So much so, in fact, that I got an internship there the summer before my Senior year and had a great experience. After graduation I headed to New York to see if I could land a job at McCann and I did! I really enjoy working in advertising because it is a great blend of business and art. I was a Business Administration major at W&L but took studio art classes every chance I got because I love art too. Advertising allows me to combine both my business skills and my creative side, so it’s a great fit for me!
3)How do you keep yourself busy outside of the office?
Kelley: My favorite thing to do when I’m not at the office is run. After sitting behind a desk all day, my body is begging for exercise! I also really, really missed having any sort of athletic competition in my life, so I’ve started running road races. I love it! I joined the New York Road Runners, the big running organization in the city, and I occasionally run with one of the local running clubs up here, the Central Park Track Club. It’s great to have a group of people to run with because I really miss being on a team! Right now I’m training to run my first half marathon race in Richmond, VA in November.
4) What is your favorite part about living in Manhattan?Kelley: I absolutely love Central Park! It’s by far my favorite place in Manhattan. Our apartment is only 5 blocks away from the park, so it’s really easy to head there for a run or walk or even an afternoon laying in the sun on one of the many lawns. After growing up in Lexington with the Rockbridge countryside all around, I really need a good dose of nature whenever I can get it! There are so many roads and trails to run and explore in Central Park – I never get bored there. This summer there were lots of fireflies during my runs at night, and once I even saw a raccoon! Felt almost like home, haha.
5)Are you in touch with other former Generals?Kelley: Of course! I especially love hearing from Henson about her adventures in Africa! When I’m really lucky I get to hang with the Generals Lax Alums up here in the city. One of the highlights of the spring was getting together with a bunch of former Generals for the 2009 ODAC Lacrosse Championships! It’s not often that you can get alums from so many years together all in one place. It was really great to see everyone, put on our old pennies and cheer for the Generals! I really hope we can do it again next year. And I miss all the ’08 Alums!
6)What are your favorite memories from W&L?Kelley: Hmm, well I could probably write a book about that!! If I had to narrow it down, though, I’d have to say beating Middlebury our senior year is way up there at the top! The energy going through the team during that game was unreal. It was magical! That game was amazing and I’ll never forget it.
7)If you could go back and do it all again, is there anything that you would change?
Kelley: I truly loved my entire experience at W&L. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think about how great it was! But if there is one regret I have it’s that I didn’t study abroad during my four years at W&L. At the time it seemed like there wasn’t a right time for me to leave for a semester, but in hindsight I realize that I should have gone anyway! My friends that went abroad had the most amazing and fulfilling experiences and now have memories that will last a lifetime. I feel like I missed out on that. I can always travel and visit places, but it’s not the same as studying there and forming special bonds with other students who are abroad. So my advice to current W&L students is to just make it work and go!
8)What is one thing that you know now that you wish you knew when you were still in college?Kelley: Well, you know how stressed out you get during school about papers and exams and class? Don’t stress! Some days I would give anything now to have to take a test or write a paper and then go to a class or two instead of sitting behind a desk ALL DAY! Looking back, class wasn’t that bad, having to do schoolwork wasn’t that bad… I wish I hadn’t stressed so much and had relaxed and had fun a little bit more!
9)Anything else that you want to share with fellow Generals Laxers and blog readers?
Kelley: Every day truly is a great day to be a General! Current Laxers: whether you’re winning a game or running sprints in the freezing cold, love every minute of it! Don’t take for granted the four years you have to be a college athlete, and better yet, a W&L General. Also, I hope to see you all on the field in October! GO ALUMS!!
