Ayanna Crenshaw

“After I graduate, I plan on furthering my education by getting my master’s degree. I have aspirations to work for an NBA team by being a marketing manager.”

“The Carthage professors have helped me in numerous ways. In most of my classes, we have done work that simulates real-world problems. The professors take the time to understand who you are as a student and as a person outside of their class. They genuinely want what’s best for you and are willing to support you in and outside the classroom. The relationships that I hold with the faculty at Carthage are really special. As they have welcomed me in, I can feel a sense of community and it makes being a student so much more engaging.”

“My favorite class so far has been Microeconomics with Professor Erik Johnson. I really enjoy his style of teaching. Prof. Johnson keeps the class engaged by doing labs and looking into real-world examples of what we are learning. I really enjoyed how we researched economic current events from around the world and then presented them in class.”

“I am extremely involved on campus. I am on the Women’s Track and Field team, a member of Black Student Union, Pi Sigma Epsilon, Alpha Lambda Delta, and I also a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.”

“The toughest class I’ve taken at Carthage so far has been Modern Caribbean Studies: From Pirates to the Cuban Missile Crisis with Professor Stephanie Mitchell. I took this class during my first semester at Carthage, so I was very intimidated by the workload and just being a freshman in a course with a bunch of upperclassmen. I often emailed and asked Prof. Mitchell questions before and after class to get through this course. Though this class was a struggle for me, Prof. Mitchell was there to support and help me along the way. She truly cared and wanted what was best for me and the rest of the class.”

“One of the best opportunities I have had at Carthage was a virtual presentation lead by Jackie Joyner-Kersee and the Office of Equity Inclusion. As I am a track athlete and have always looked up to the story of Ms. Kersee, I thought it was really cool to be in a virtual meeting and to get to ask her questions and learn from such a great athlete.”

“One of my favorite memories this year has been running with my teammates and achieving the goals that we established together. It proved that we worked hard despite the many obstacles. Another one of my favorite moments at Carthage was finding out I was Rookie of the Year with my friends. I was really proud of myself and the great achievement.”

“One of my favorite spots on campus is definitely the study rooms in the David Straz Center. The classrooms are really nice and right next to the lake. It’s a really nice place to do homework. I also really like the Tarble Athletic Recreation Center, I enjoy hanging out with friends, working out, or just playing a fun game of basketball when I’m not running on the track with my teammates.”

“The biggest surprise for me has been the adjustment. I thought it would be a lot harder than it was, but with the help of my coaches, teammates, and professors the adjustment was really smooth and doable.”

“I think my 8-year-old self would be pretty thrilled with the career path I have sought out. When I was young, I would come up with a pitch on how to get the latest sneakers or games from different companies. I would write the price, print out pictures, and present why I should get the product. Back then I didn’t know that I would choose that as an area of study, but it makes sense, and my 8-year-old self would be really proud.”

“Other students should consider my major because it is very flexible after graduation. Both marketing and management can lead you into so many different areas of interest. My advice would be to do your research and take your time deciding what you want to do. Apply yourself and know that if you want to do something, it will get done if you put your all into it and surround yourself with those who want you to win.”

“I chose Carthage because there was a great sense of community. It felt very family-oriented, and it gave me the opportunity to be a scholar-athlete as well.”