question: welcome! Could you start by telling us about yourself and why you are here?
answer: Thank you for inviting me! My name is Kara Hofstra. I'm a sophomore at Alma College and a native of Zeeland, Michigan. I'm majoring in digital marketing and am having a great time here.
question: Digital marketing! cool. This is one of our new majors. What kind of work do you do in that major?
answer: It's really cool and I'm happy to be a part of it. It's like a fusion of art and design, communication and business. It's very hands-on, which is exactly the kind of thing I want to do, and it's more behind-the-scenes work than the on-camera type of thing. I made my first short film and also created my own podcast. This year, I am taking a spring semester course called Backpack Filmmaking with my supervisor, Dr. Anthony Collamati, in Italy. I can't wait!
question: Looks like a lot of fun! Do you use Greg Hatcher Learning Commons resources when creating multimedia?
answer: i will do it. I think it's a very good facility for the campus. I don't have Adobe Cloud software installed on my laptop, so I come to Digital Maker Space to do all my marketing projects. Because my computer here has Adobe Cloud software installed. The computer also has much more memory and a larger screen than my laptop. There are people here to help you use the equipment, like Jake O'Brien, an audio/visual specialist. very helpful. In addition to marketing projects, I like to use the private study rooms in the Learning Commons. Because there are no distractions.
question: How does a student like you get from Zeeland to Alma? Why did you come to this university in the first place?
answer: That's right, Alma is located in the middle of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. That means if I want to go home or if my family wants to see me, it's not too far of a drive. I really liked the size of the campus. It's small here, so the professors have a lot of time to spend with us students. But a big reason I came here is because Alma's scholarships are so generous. I had a pretty good GPA in high school, which helped me get a scholarship. I was able to receive a scholarship just by touring the campus before enrolling. Some may be shocked by Alma College's list price, but I don't think everyone necessarily considers the value of scholarships before coming here.
question: What else do you do on campus besides digital marketing?
answer: I work on campus in admissions, which is a lot of fun and a great way to make money. I am a member of Kappa Iota sorority and my brother is one of my favorite people on campus. They let me be who I am. I feel completely relaxed when I'm with them. I also lead the Alternative Breaks team, which is one of my favorite things to do. This spring break, we're going to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky to help with environmental stewardship.
question: That's amazing! Will it be your first alternative break?
answer: No, I've done it before in Joshua Tree National Park in California. That was my first time flying. It was a lot of fun and very meaningful. The people working at the park said they wished we had stayed there forever because we did such a good job. It's also great to be with students who have the same passion as you. Something like, “If we hadn't met on this trip, I wouldn't be your friend.” But I'm glad I did it. ”
question: How do you feel about your decision to attend Alma College?
answer: I feel good! A few weeks into my first year, I went through a period of doubting myself. And I realized that probably many students feel the same way I do. I forced myself to go out and talk to people, and it really paid off. I have made many friends and am participating in a great academic program. And I never thought I would be traveling as much as I am now.
Learn more about experiential learning and digital marketing. alma education.
