Who's Who From SU
Crystal Jackson, Class of 2010
First-year Crystal Jackson first picked up a volleyball in the eighth grade, and her love for the sport quickly grew, leading her to play throughout high school. Jackson states, "I have always loved being a part of a team because it is nice being a part of an organization where you can develop lifelong friendships and spend time with people who share the same passion as you. I loved playing volleyball in high school, and I eventually decided that I wanted to play in college."
In fact, it was volleyball that led Jackson to Southwestern. "I had never heard of Southwestern until the volleyball coach, Hannah Long, came to watch one of my practices. Afterward, I did some research and became interested in the school. I liked the small class sizes and how the professors invested so much time and effort into their students," Jackson recalls. "I decided to come to Southwestern because I knew that I would continue to be challenged academically while developing close friendships in a small, close environment."
"People say that you are introduced to your true self during college and that is definitely correct," states Jackson. "Southwestern has introduced me to so many new things, and I have learned things that I don't think I would have been able to learn at any other university." Jackson, a communication studies major with a minor in Spanish, recently was accepted into the Paideia Program. "I love the field of communications because it encompasses so much. Right now, I plan on going to law school. I love helping other people, and I think that representing them in a court of law is a great way to do that. I also enjoy writing, so I've also considered going into journalism."
In addition to focusing on her studies, Jackson believes that it is important to be involved in the campus community. She states, "I believe that you can learn imperative life lessons outside of the classroom. Being a part of outside activities also gives you a chance to enjoy hobbies that you love and make new friends." An avid dancer since she was three years old, Jackson knew that she wanted to continue dancing while at Southwestern. After missing the sign up time for a dance class during the women's volleyball NCAA regional tournament, Jackson decided to take matters into her own hands. From there, the first Southwestern University dance team, Southwestern University Dance Squad, was founded. "Originally, I had planned for the squad to debut during the 2007-2008 basketball season, but some of the girls were so anxious to get it started that we bumped up the date," she says. "The campus' support of the dance team was mind blowing! I never expected to get so much praise for our hard work."
Jackson's most memorable moment came when the SU dance team preformed for the first time during halftime of a men's basketball game. She comments, "Nothing can prepare you for the adrenaline rush that you get right before the music starts. I remember hearing the music start, the crowd roaring, and I knew that I had started something that would change school spirit here at Southwestern. As I looked down the row and saw the rest of the squad, I had never been so excited to perform in my life."
Drawing on her first-year experiences, Jackson believes that current and incoming Southwestern students should take full advantage of everything the University has to offer. She states, "There are innumerable opportunities that are just waiting to be explored. I never dreamed that as a first-year I would start a brand new organization, but that just shows you that if you have a passion, this school will back you up 100 percent and give you the means to do whatever it is that you want to do!"
—Amanda Lott '07
