Outstanding First Years: Paige “Pebble” Breeding

Paige Breeding, nicknamed Pebble, is often referred to as the human resemblance of the word enthusiastic. Her friends describe her as a wonderful person to spend time with, as she brings a uniquely entertaining dynamic everywhere she goes.

Outside of her social life, Breeding takes advantage of every opportunity that comes her way, both academic and extracurricular. Through this go-getter attitude, Breeding has found herself on both the Drake Women’s Rowing Team and Drake University’s very own Poker Club.

Breeding credits the discovery of these opportunities to the Drake Actuarial Science Career Fair, saying “The opportunities I have been given come through the school activities fair and the Drake Actuarial Science Career Fair … This is one of my first times having such opportunities available to me.”

This combination of friendliness and community involvement has given Breeding a good reputation among Drake University’s student community.

“Pebble is a dedicated athlete on the Drake women’s rowing team. She is also an excellent student who strives to do her best on all assignments given to her … And she is a wonderful and fun person who is easy to talk to and spend time with,” first-year Elena Pearce said.

Breeding has also found great success academically, as she is known for her academic resilience and determination. Breeding credits a lot of this academic success to the resources that Drake University offers to all students.

“There are one or two classes that have been giving me more than their fair share of troubles and stress. I overcame these challenges by attending the teachers’ office hours and reaching out to friends in the class with me. Drake supports their students, and the students support one another. This is a school that wants its students to succeed,” said Breeding.

Among all her successes, Breeding maintains the belief that academics come first in terms of student involvement.

“My success is reflected in my grades which are satisfactory to me. I am also thankful for my teacher’s office hours which I have had to visit for my own benefit,” said Breeding.

When asked to give advice to first-year students who are struggling to make the adjustment to on-campus life, Breeding said, “There are three simple pieces of advice I would have for a struggling student. First, look for teacher-driven support. Attend office hours or study groups for any class you may be struggling in. Second, consult fellow students on the topics you are failing to understand. Sometimes hearing a topic explained a second way will help it click. Finally, evaluate the rest of your habits. Sometimes you’re struggling because your health isn’t as it should be. Taking time to focus on your mental health, sleep enough, or eat properly [to] help set the rest of your life back on track.”

Breeding is just one example of the many success stories blooming within Drake’s campus, exemplifying and cementing all that makes Drake University an extraordinary place to be.

The Outstanding First-Years column presents a profile of one first-year student each week, summarizing their successes up to this point in their college experience. The young students featured in this column have displayed exceeding academic performance and on-campus involvement, along with contributing to the campus community in a positive way.