My Rollins Life: Paving Her Path

Sydney Knight’s first year at Rollins wasn’t quite what she’d expected. The pandemic made the already challenging pre-med path she’d chosen feel even more daunting, and although she wasn’t far from home, the transition to college life wasn’t coming naturally. But that all changed when she joined the dance team.

“It was such a great way to make friends, especially with older students who I could ask about professors or classes. This really helped me find my place at Rollins.”

Knight went on to pledge a sorority, get an IT job on campus, and with the support of her mentors decided to change her major to business management, a field that better suited her interest in analytics. Now she’s headed to New York City to start a position as a solutions analyst with JP Morgan.

An Easy Decision

“I thought I wanted to go far away for school, but after touring Rollins, I just loved it—the atmosphere, the small classes. And I got the Dean’s Scholarship, which helped make my decision even easier.”

Going Greek

“Greek life at Rollins is unique. I had so many opportunities to take on leadership roles right away. I was the chair of diversity and inclusion, vice president of finance, and then president of the organization. At a bigger school, it would be harder to get those positions.”

Living and Learning

“I’ve lived on campus all four years. I can walk to the library or the lab or my professors’ offices. Being connected to campus really helped me excel in school and set me up to succeed.”

Ready to Launch

“Through Rollins, I did an internship with JP Morgan that ended in a full-time job offer. The staff in the Center for Career & Life Planning helped review my LinkedIn profile and resume, and even helped me prepare for the interview.”

Continued Support

“I have two friends who graduated this year, and they’re already in New York. Plus, five of my sorority sisters are there to help me out. I know I can lean on those people and ask them for help and advice. And there's a huge alumni network there, which brings me a lot of comfort.”

Challenge Accepted

“Looking back, something I'm really proud of is that I took the highest-level economics class available at Rollins. I got to use a new piece of software, and I wrote an in-depth research paper. I wanted to push myself and see what I could learn, and I had the support of my advisors to do so. I could really see that what I was learning at Rollins was going to translate to the real world.”

Prepared to Thrive

“At Rollins, you learn a lot in your classes, but I never felt so bogged down that I couldn’t work my campus job or take on opportunities with my sorority. These diverse experiences helped me stand out in the job market. Nowhere else would I’ve had the opportunity to be such a multifaceted student.”

Sydney’s Favorite ...

• Study spot: A comfy nook in Kathleen W.Rollins Hall
• Park Avenue hangout: Boca Winter Park
• Campus dining venue: Cornell Cafe for the fresh guacamole
• Rollins tradition: Fox Day, when classes are canceled and we all go to the beach