Meet the CFS Student Ambassadors
Alexandra Arges
Year: SeniorMajor: Nutrition Science
Hometown: Crown Point, Indiana
E-mail: aarges@purdue.edu
What did you learn from your study abroad adventure?
You realize how different and unique the people are, but ultimately, it's appreciating these differences and learning from one another that allows an individual to grow and bond with others. My trip to France incorporated my background in nutrition with a hands-on study of the French Paradox complete with cooking classes, wine, and chocolate."
Anna Armstrong
Year: Senior
Majors: Dietetics
Hometown: Columbus, Indiana
E-mail: ajarmstr@purdue.edu
What is your dream job?
"My dream job would be to own my own health fitness facility that combined the two areas of exercise and nutrition. I think it would be neat to partner with a hospital and use the health fitness facility as a rehabilitation center as well."
Ashley Baer
Year: Junior
Major: Youth, Adult, and Family Services
Hometown: Delphi, Indiana
E-mail: baera@purdue.edu
What advice do you have for a first-year student?
"Figure out where you belong. It is important to find a group of people that you feel comfortable with because these people become your family while you are at school. Everyone needs that support system."
Alicia Bellisario
Year: Junior
Major: CFS Education
Hometown: Darien, IL
E-mail: abellisa@purdue.edu
What do you like most about CFS?
"Consumer and Family Sciences is one of the smaller colleges, housing a mere 2,000 of the nearly 40,000 students at Purdue. This allows us to get to know each other well and come to be a family. All of the students and faculty in CFS are very caring, helpful, and strive for your success."
Anita Bokil
Year: Senior
Major: Selling and Sales Management
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
E-mail:abokil@purdue.edu
What did you find beneficial about your internship?
"My summer internship with a major pharmaceutical company gave me real life exposure to a career in sales. I was able to apply the skills I learned in class while truly living the life of a pharmaceutical sales representative. This helped me determine if a career in sales was what I really wanted."
Audrey Deig
Year: Senior
Major: Dietetics/Nutrition, Fitness, and Health
Hometown: Evansville, Indiana
E-mail: adeig@purdue.edu
What is the most fun activity you've done at Purdue?
"Greek life has been a huge part of my time here at Purdue and I have lasting memories and friendships to take away from this experience."
Tori Fread
Year: Junior
Major: Youth, Adult, and Family Services
Hometown: Noblesville, Indiana
E-mail: vfread@purdue.edu
What is the most fun activity you've done at Purdue?
"I would say one of the most fun activities I've done at Purdue would be going to the ice skating rink down by the Levee with all of my friends in the wintertime. Although I'm always a little sore afterwards from falling, it's definitely a good time for laughs!"
Lele Gao
Year: Senior
Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management
Hometown: Qingdao, China
E-mail: lgao@purdue.edu
Why did you choose to attend Purdue?
"At such a diverse campus like this, I can get chances to know people from all around the world who share a similar or totally different background with me. Also, Purdue offers a great hospitality management program, which is a career path I would like to pursue since I was 8 years old."
Meagan Gramke
Year: Junior
Major: Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs
Hometown: Carmel, Indiana
E-mail: mgramke@purdue.edu
What is the most fun activity you've done at Purdue?
"The most fun activity was participating in Boiler Blast. It was great to combine students from CFS Student Council and our friends to go out and help the community! Boiler Blast was a very fun, organized, and time-worthy activity that I encourage everyone to participate in!"
Alysha Kupferer
Year: Junior
Major: Apparel Design and Technology
Hometown: Columbus, Indiana
E-mail: akupfere@purdue.edu
What did you find beneficial about your internship?
"My internship at Banana Republic gave me hands-on experience in multiple channels of the retailing system. It provided learning experiences that are unparalleled in the classroom and helped affirm my career aspirations. An internship can help get your foot in the door at competitive companies."
Tammy Lee
Year: Senior
Major: Retail Management
Hometown: Richardson, Texas
E-mail: tammylee@purdue.edu
What did you find beneficial about your internship?
"Interpersonal lessons were the most rewarding by-products of my internship. I learned to not become convoluted with office politics through perpetual representation of my true colors. Above all... take initiative, take initiative, and take initiative -- CARPE DIEM."
Melissa McMullen
Year: Senior
Major: Financial Counseling and Planning
Hometown: Westfield, Indiana
E-mail: mamcmull@purdue.edu
What is your dream job?
"My dream job would be to own a well-known financial planning firm in Colorado. That way I can help as many families as I can and still be my own boss!"
Ann Mears
Year: Junior
Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management
Hometown: Delphi, Indiana
E-mail: amears@purdue.edu
What advice do you have for a first-year student?
"Time management is crucial. The positive habits you establish as a freshman can help you greatly throughout the rest of your time at Purdue. It is important to keep academics first but get involved. Participate in activities that you will enjoy but also that will help you excel in your major."
Lisa Moore
Year: Junior
Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management
Hometown: Carmel, Indiana
E-mail: moore13@purdue.edu
What should a prospective student know about CFS?
"After completing two years in CFS, I learned that every professor, teaching assistant, counselor, etc. is there to help you succeed. Most importantly, CFS gives you all of the opportunities and tools to succeed, you just have to get involved."
Marcia Nagle
Year: Senior
Major: Dietetics/Foods and Nutrition in Business
Hometown: Angola, Indiana
E-mail: mknagle@purdue.edu
What will you miss most about Purdue when you graduate?
"I will miss the Big Ten campus life style. Whether it's football, basketball, or baseball season there is always some kind of excitement going on. I will also miss having all of my friends so close and being able to hang out."
Jennifer Nestleroad
Year: Senior
Major: Retail Management
Hometown: Lafayette, Indiana
E-mail: jnestler@purdue.edu
What is your dream job?
"My dream job would be to work for a company as a fashion merchandiser who can travel and work with top fashion designers and the most exclusive apparel manufacturers."
Leslie Rodibaugh
Year: Senior
Major: Youth, Adult, and Family Services
Hometown: Frankfort, Indiana
E-mail: lrodibau@purdue.edu
What is your dream job?
"My dream job that is related to my major is to be a high school or middle school guidance counselor. Through this position I hope to impact students by helping them find ways to accomplish their dreams, especially when they think they're able to."
Teryn Sapper
Year: Sophomore
Major: Dietetics
Hometown: Warsaw, Indiana
E-mail: tsapper@purdue.edu
What should a prospective student know about CFS?
"There are many great opportunities in the college that they should take advantage of. There are many great clubs and organizations to get involved in. Undergraduates should know that they can work for a professor whether it be in their research lab or being a teaching assistant for a course."
Josh Seidel
Year: Senior
Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management
Hometown: Massillon, Ohio
E-mail: jseidell@purdue.edu
What is your dream job?
"My dream job is to be a successful entrepreneur of a major hotel corporation, which will enable me to become a multi-billionaire. Once I have acquired this mass amount of money, I will use it to fight crime in the middle of the night using my bat suit. This will then complete my life goal of helping people which is why I entered the hospitality industry in the first place."
Brent Semanick
Year: Senior
Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management
Hometown: Highland, Indiana
E-mail: semanick@purdue.edu
What will you miss about Purdue when you graduate?
"I'm going to miss my friends most of all. Being in HTM has given us the chance to be in numerous classes together and really get to know each other."
Taylor Smiley
Year: Junior
Major: Selling and Sales Management
Hometown: Pittsboro, Indiana
E-mail: tsmiley@purdue.edu
What do you like most about CFS?
"I like the hands-on approach used in my classes. I also like the fact that CFS is a smaller school and most of my professors know me by name. In a University of 40,000 students I feel like more than just a number."
Larissa Staley
Year: Senior
Major: CFS Education
Hometown: Clay City, Indiana
E-mail: lastaley@purdue.edu
What is your dream job?
"My dream job would be to work for a nationally affiliated family and consumer sciences education organization like AAFCS or ACTE. Later on in my career, I would want to return to teaching and become a high school family and consumer sciences teacher."
Cody Studebaker
Year: Senior
Major: Selling and Sales Management
Hometown: Silver Lake, Indiana
E-mail: cstudeba@purdue.edu
What will you miss about Purdue when you graduate?
"I am going to miss the deep traditions you encounter on an everyday basis. This campus is full of history that you can see around every corner. I am also going to miss the convenience of having all my friends and everything I need only a few blocks away."
Ryan Turley
Year: Senior
Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management
Hometown: Houston, Texas
E-mail: rkturley@purdue.edu
Why did you find beneficial about your internship?
"The best thing about my internship was that I was given the responsibilities of an actual full-time employee at the hotel, yet still had time to enjoy spending the summer in beautiful Jackson Hole, Wyoming!"
Caroline Wright
Year: Senior
Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management
Hometown: North Canton, Ohio
E-mail: cewright@purdue.edu
What do you learn from your study abroad adventure?
"I learned about intercommunication skills, more than what any book has taught me. I learned how to better understand nonverbal communication and to respect the very different ways people think. Study abroad gave me hands-on experience on how to be a more open and accepting person."
Kimberly Ziarko
Year: Sophomore
Major: Foods and Nutrition in Business
Hometown: New Buffalo, MI
E-mail: kziarko@purdue.edu
Why did you choose to attend Purdue?
"What drew me most into attending Purdue University was the variety of resources and help from professors, counselors, and other students that are available to provide me with a stronger education and prepare me for the future."