Cami Christopulos

“I enjoy getting to merge my skillset with my passion. After graduating from Carthage, I worked in various marketing roles for Citi Retail Services, where I honed and development my administrative skills. My passion has always been educating and empowering others to be the best versions of themselves. In my current role, I get to assist students in their academic enrichment and leadership development while being able to manage various administrative aspects, including program development, academic advising, budgeting, student worker supervision, and more. It’s been an honor getting to make an impact on students’ lives while utilizing my key strengths.”

“Partaking in the Character Quest Program was one of the most impactful experiences I had during my time at Carthage. I learned that while I am not naturally extroverted or bold, that doesn’t mean I can’t be a leader. The program and the mentorship I received in the program while at Carthage changed my life in that I understood what I was capable of, learned how to hone my strengths rather than focus on my weaknesses, and found my confidence to be my true authentic self. I always aspired to be part of a similar type of program to inspire students to uncover their abilities and learn how to be a leader using their own talents, and that’s exactly what I get to do within the Leadership Scholars Program. We offer social and professional programming, one-on-one advising, and community-based experiences that allow students to learn about their leadership potential in a safe and supportive environment. Without the Character Quest Program, I would not be in the position I am today, and I am forever grateful for the incredible opportunity to discover the path I was meant to go on.”

“I chose Carthage because the moment I stepped on campus, it felt like home. I loved the small class sizes and walkable campus, numerous opportunities to get involved, and of course — the lake! I had a wonderful admissions counselor, Ben Gorres ’97, who dedicated so much time in ensuring my family’s questions were answered and connected us with the appropriate departments for more information.”

“Carthage fosters a community that encourages both academic and extracurricular pursuits. I was blessed that I had the opportunity to serve on various executive boards for organizations throughout my years, and what I loved is that I was able to serve as a leader in different realms. I was the president of the National Residence Hall Honorary, treasurer for Colleges Against Cancer, and vice president for Honors Council, just to name a few. These organizations taught me about time management, how to work effectively with different groups of people, and how to make an impact across campus and within the community. I also had two on-campus jobs, one as a tutor in the Writing Center and one as a student worker in the Office of the President. These not only provided professional growth opportunities, but also a way to fund my time at the College. My job in the Writing Center was my favorite; I assisted clients in uncovering their writing abilities, was guided and supported by fellow tutors (some of whom I am still friends with today), and learned so much from our amazing director, Jean Preston ’01. Through the Writing Center, I got to present at the 2014 International Writing Centers Association Conference with Micole Gauvin ’15 in Orlando, Florida! It was a truly magical experience.”

“I began my Carthage journey as an elementary education major. In taking the classes, I realized I wanted to have a different role in the education field, and Professor Lara Christoun helped me explore that within my fieldwork experience for my minor. She allowed me to research and interview various professionals to explore potential career paths that combined education and business fields. I am forever grateful for her guidance and support in my professional discoveries! I also took Professor Greg Barron’s Business Policies Senior Seminar and Business to Business Marketing classes my senior year. Prof. Barron dedicated so much time to students to ensure they were not only learning in and out of the classroom, but were acknowledged and recognized for their hard work. I have never felt more supported by a faculty member who was as excited about my work and aspirations as I was. Both professors provided the proper support, guidance, and encouragement for me to succeed. They didn’t tell me the answers, but showed me the path to get to my destination.”

“Seeking Truth – I am a lifelong learner. That is one of the reasons I decided to pursue my master’s degree as I love learning and growing my mindset in new ways. The education I received at Carthage and Northwestern allowed me to seek truth of various fields and of society, but it also helped me seek truth about myself, which I found most valuable.

“Building Strength — I believe in harnessing and growing your strengths rather than trying to build up your weaknesses. I hold great value in the Clifton Strengths and use this assessment with my students at Loyola to empower them to learn what they are good at and how they can build upon their strengths to make more of an impact within the campus and community.

“Inspiring Service — Each year, I set goals inspired by the pillars of the Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society, and one of the pillars is around service to others. Thus, each year, I strive to give back to my community in a different way, whether through providing food to people in need, volunteering at various shelters, or educating others about important causes. I also do this in serving on Carthage’s Alumni Council and love giving back to the college that gave me so much.

“Together — Nothing can be successfully done without the help or support of others. Motivation, drive, and ability is internal and necessary for development, but especially working in higher education, I have learned the true value of teamwork and being able to rely on others to work toward a common goal.”

“My favorite memories stem from my friendships formed through organizational involvement. I was fortunate to go on three amazing Collegiate Challenges within the Habitat for Humanity group. I not only learned the ins and outs of building a house, but experienced 20+ hour road trips, trying unusual food, and going on crazy adventures with a group of strangers that became a family within a matter of a week. I served within the Colleges Against Cancer organization and was amazed at how my closest friends and I pulled off two successful back-to-back Relay for Life events on campus, raising over $100,000 between the two years. I was a co-founder of the Carthage Vanguard — Carthage’s first Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Journal — and worked as the managing editor of social sciences. With this, I was able to work with my friends and fellow colleagues in the Writing Center to create an opportunity for our classmates to showcase their work in a published format. Carthage shaped me in showing me not only the ins and outs of how to work with others toward a shared, common purpose, but do so with trusted people that became friends, allies, and champions of each other.”

“My biggest piece of advice is to get involved! Although cliché, it was the best way for me to discover more about who I was and how I could be a leader as an undergraduate. I was part of various organizations on campus — from service based, to residence life, to leadership — and each one taught me invaluable lessons that I still share about today with my students at Loyola University Chicago. I learned where my passion areas were and how to find my voice. Being part of different clubs was also my first step into the world of networking. I interacted with a multitude of people and learned how to market myself and learn from others. My favorite example of this is through my time in Omicron Delta Kappa. I ran for and obtained an executive board position as treasurer during my sophomore year. The President of the organization at the time became both a friend and mentor for me, and in learning the ropes from her, eventually became the President myself. We kept in touch over the years, even after she graduated. As I was applying for jobs my senior year, she reached out to me about a position at her work and coached me through the application processed. I was hired on and stayed with the company for about three years. This experience shows the power of networking and the Carthage connection. I am forever indebted to this experience for getting me my first job, and it taught me how to find connections and mentors to help me progress personally and professionally.”

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