Graduated

WE ARE COLLEGE GRADUATES!!!

We took our finals, hosted a party, slept until noon, shook President Smith's hand, and had some quality time with family. It was a full week.

I have to say, I did get a little emotional during the commencement ceremony. As I watched my fellow  grads walk across the stage, I couldn't help but think about all of the memories we have made together in the passed four years. IWU has been the source of a lot of stress, but mostly a lot of joy and growth. During my time here, I have done missions in Greece, became a barista, started this little blog, got elected as Vice President of PRSSA, got engaged, lived in Ireland, spent a weekend in Paris, interned with The Boys and Girls Club, got married, and all the while forming deep and lasting friendships with some really amazing people. Now it's time to say thank you, and farewell.

And hey, we're done. We did it. We have bachelors degrees. What??!!!

graduating seniors party on Race Street!!!! 

celebrating our first day of post-grad life with breakfast at a new local diner

walking to the senior picnic at President Smith's house

Friday night baccalaureate ceremony

our lovely caps & tassels (plus Jordan's Cum Laude Honors cord!)

my boys.

about to enter the chapel!

Public Relations degree....

...Marketing degree

President Smith. Love that guy.

all the pretty grads

yayyyy!!!!

:) 

Dowell fam

Shepherd brothers & sisters

Shepherd fam

party at the Shepherd house with yummy food, coffee, Toby the dog, and gifts

Shepherd bro/sis Ben & Jerry's pajama party

A few of my gifts - leather name embossed Bible & a new road bike to take with me to Colorado!

To our parents,

You have made this experience possible. Thank you for all that you do for us. We can't express enough how much we appreciate your support and love and sacrifice. It is because of you that we are here living out our dreams. We love you!!!

- Alli and Jordan

Coming back to school early is harder than I expected. My days have been planned to the minute lately with all of the work I have been doing. This year I am getting deeper into my Public Relations major while also juggling two jobs, entering into the position of the Vice President for Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), and hopefully still holding on to some kind of a social life.

I was hired for Student Government Association as the Vice President of Public Relations. This is the most challenging but rewarding thing I have ever done, and I only just started a week ago! My position is loaded with responsibility. I'll be doing all of the PR and promotion for SGA, which involves some design elements, creative thinking, and strategizing about how to best maintain the branding of SGA. I'll be working with the rest of the cabinet as we strive to be the voice of our student body. Since there are only ten cabinet members (the President and the rest of us VP's) we have already formed a tight bond and connection with one another.

And I do love dressing in business attire and getting my own desk in the SGA office :-)





My other amazing job this year will be for McConn, our coffee shop at IWU. I'll finally be a barista! Gosh I can't even explain how excited I am for this. I know it probably sounds pathetic, but I have always wanted to work at McConn since I came to this school freshman year. I love coffee...a lot, and soon I will have learned all about the process of growing, roasting, brewing, and making coffee. I want to soak up every detail of training so that I can one day make a perfect shot of espresso and maybe even some latte art.

I'm not complaining that my boyfriend Jordan, one of my best friends Beth, and so many other great people will be working at McConn as well. It really is the most social job on campus...but I would honestly do it for free.

so yeah, I will be extremely extremely busy this year.

This past week I have been growing closer to the SGA cabinet, while training rigorously for my position. Let me just say that I am going to love it even more when the year is done.

Now it's on to McConn training this week!! Today was the first day and oh what a wonderful experience it was.