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. For the fifth edition of this column, first-year finance major Lucia Perkins was interviewed.
Perkins is best known by her peers as having one of the most vibrant personalities the University has to offer.
“Lucia’s personality is so vibrant! She is interested in a variety of things, which makes her
interesting … Lucia is truly one of the most well-rounded people I know on Drake’s campus,” said her close friend Maria Heath.
Throughout her early experiences at Drake University, Perkins has found on-campus life both
challenging and extremely interesting.
“Unlike high school, the workload is hard and a lot more than what I am used to. One of
the biggest things I am proud of is how I’ve been able to manage that workload while having time for myself. Learning how I need to spend my time between the rowing team, my sorority, my academics and my friends is a struggle, but I am proud of how I am handing everything,” said Perkins.
Arguably Drake’s greatest selling point for incoming first-years is the school’s vast array of on-campus activities. To make sure this is understood by all high school graduates during their college search, Drake advisors often point to the 160-plus student clubs and organizations the University has to offer. Perkins has taken advantage of this, getting involved in on-campus opportunities such as the women’s rowing team and the Delta Gamma sorority.
When asked about her reasons for pursuing these groups on Drake’s campus, Perkins
gave credit to the students already involved for drawing her towards these opportunities.
“For joining a sorority, it was more of a last-minute decision,” said Perkins. “I had never pictured myself joining one, but after meeting the women in the house, I knew that these were the people I wanted to be with. I have no regrets so far this year, and the friendships I’ve made make everything worth it.”
Despite her academic success with a 3.8 midterm GPA, things did not come easily for Perkins. When asked about the hardships she has faced when adjusting to on-campus life, Perkins focused on the difficulty of her class schedule and rigor.
“I find myself struggling with some of my classes,” Perkins said. “As a finance major, I need to take prerequisites before I can start my major classes. Since I have all my AOIs done, the classes I have to take are very dense. With my classes, it’s all new information to me and I am struggling with not only understanding but being able to apply the information I have learned.”
Lucia Perkins is just one example of the hundreds of outstanding Drake
students that have joined our on-campus community this fall. Perkins is just one of the many
success stories blooming within Drake’s campus, exemplifying and cementing all that makes Drake University an extraordinary place to be.
