Shining Sisters Week Twelve
Madeline Richmond
Converted Tiger fan, Clemson Tour Guide, ADPi sister, & future Dermatologist! These are just a few ways of describing Madeline!
Madeline Richmond, AC’ 19
“None of my family members went to Clemson and I did not grow up a Tiger, in fact I grew up cheering on the Gamecocks-- I know what you’re thinking. Clemson was the first college campus I ever visited. When I was a sophomore in high school, I participated in a program called C-Cats where students from all over the state of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia came to Clemson to spend a weekend growing their leadership skills and participating in team-building and academic activities. While I only spent a short weekend at Clemson, I automatically knew that there was something truly special about this place. When it came time for me to start seriously looking at schools a couple of years later, I visited all over the country. But no matter where I went, I couldn’t help compare them to Clemson. When I came back for a second tour my senior year, I felt the same feeling I initially felt the first time I stepped on campus. There is a poem written by Joe Sherman, class of 1934, entitled, “Something in These Hills,” in which the alumnus speaks of the indescribable feeling those who come to Clemson experience not just as students, but long after they leave this wonderful place. I knew exactly what I was looking for in a school, I didn’t just want an exceptional education, life-long friends, or your typical college town, I wanted to come to a place that felt like home, where I could cultivate meaningful relationships, and a place I would never want to leave. I can truly say that after less than two short years here, Clemson has exceeded all of those wishes and more. This has become the place I hate to leave, and the one I am most excited to come back to. The decision to come to Clemson was one of the easiest decisions I’ve made, and one I knew I would not regret. There truly is “something in these hills.”
One of the things I love about Clemson is how involved all of the students are; no one is involved in just one thing. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of ADPi, Clemson University Guide Association, the Elections Board, and MedEx Club. Each organization is so different but have all had a cumulative impact on my Clemson career in different ways.
Clemson University Guide Association was something I knew I wanted to get involved with when I came to Clemson. I had an amazing tour guide when I came to Clemson and knew I wanted the opportunity to pay it forward. I just became a tour guide recently and have been going through the training process to give tours on my own. While I am still training, it has already been so rewarding. A family came up to me the other day and said that Clemson was the third school they had visited that weekend, but that their tour here was the most special. It’s the smaller comments like that one and other moments with prospective students that bring me so much joy! All of the tour guides have quickly become another family to me. They are beyond supportive and super fun; I feel extremely lucky to be a part of this organization.
One of my favorite Clemson memories was road tripping to New Orleans for the National Championship game with six of my best friends! How many girls can you fit in one bedroom at the Ritz? Seven! Yes that is right the seven of us had a three night sleepover together in tight quarters and I have never had more fun. I had never been to New Orleans before and loved exploring the city and cheering on my Tigers. While we didn’t win the game, it was a successful weekend and I still bleed orange. CU in Miami baby!
ADPi has allowed me to meet amazing friends and find great support. I feel so thankful for everything it has given me in my short time in this chapter. I recently moved on the hall which has been such a fun experience. I know that I could knock on any of the girls’ doors and talk to them about anything! I am beyond lucky to be surrounded by such a strong group of girls with incredible character and determination.
I’m a Health Science major with an emphasis in Pre- Professional Health Studies and a minor in Spanish Studies. My dream job would be becoming a dermatologist, but right now I’m just trying to survive organic chemistry! I’m pretty rigid with my schedule but try to find balance in life. It’s a never ending juggle of learning to prioritize and running is my go to stress reliever. My dad and I are hoping to run a half marathon together in the near future.”- Madeline Richmond, AC ‘19
✺ Fun Facts ✺
Favorite Quote:
“Vision is the ability to see what is possible before it becomes obvious.” - Unknown
If you could have dinner with one person living or dead, who would it be and why?
“Eleanor Roosevelt because of her incredible legacy as a humanitarian. Some of her thoughts may have been controversial at the time but I believe she is to be truly admired for her boldness and unwavering beliefs.”
Spirit Animal:
“A dolphin-- they are wonderful communicators and super social!”
Happy Place:
“Anywhere on a beach!”
Georgia Garner
Our Director of Primary Recruitment, Georgia, is learning how to “enjoy the present” and taking in all of her wonderful Clemson experiences!
Georgia Garner, AC ‘18
“My Clemson story is unique because I am actually the first person in my family to ever go to Clemson. My dad is a U of SC fan and my sister is going to U of SC next year (gotta love a little family rivalry). When I toured Clemson two years ago in the fall, I absolutely fell in love with the red brick buildings and red, orange, and yellow trees. I am from Charleston and we don’t really have a true fall season, so I was blown away by how beautiful Clemson was. Every fall semester on campus reminds me how much I love Clemson and why I made the best decision in choosing Clemson.
My absolute favorite extracurricular involvement is Night To Shine held by the Tim Tebow Foundation. Every year, I get to volunteer and be a part of one of the most special nights for adults with intellectual disabilities at ALIVE Wesleyan University. I have many ClemsonLIFE friends that attend the event, and it is so fun to see their gratitude and joy all night long. If you’ve never heard of Night to Shine you should look it up! And if you have never volunteered but have thought about doing it, here is your sign to do it!
I am the Director of Primary Recruitment for ADPi this year! I am so thrilled to work with our Vice President of Marketing, Anna Rhett Allen, to put on the best recruitment! My position includes planning out Spirit Weekend, creating decorations for each round, and planning and organizing the entire week of Recruitment for ADPi. I am so beyond excited for this upcoming fall and getting to meet so many amazing potential new members going through recruitment, along with spending time with all of my sisters!
The best memory I have in college so far would have to be Bid Day 2019. This Bid Day was SO much fun—I just couldn’t stop smiling! I love every single girl we welcomed into Alpha Delta Pi last year and I was so excited for them to learn more about ADPi and why it is truly so special. The best part of Bid Day was 100% getting to dance all night in the West End Zone!
The transition to college for me was super difficult and Alpha Delta Pi truly allowed me to adapt to college and learn how to have fun in the process. All of my sisters were so supportive in every way and loved me through that hard time. I am so thankful for them and have had so much fun living on the hall this year with all of my Delta class. It is such a good feeling to know that you have so many friends ready to help and show up when you need them to!—or come to your rescue when you need a dress last minute for a function when your original outfit doesn’t work out (thank you Elizabeth Jones you’re the bomb!)
One of my goals this semester has been to really have fun in the process of navigating college and my future, and to not take life so seriously sometimes. We all get so focused on what is coming next that we forget to look at what is happening right in front of us. It is really easy to glance over all of the wonderful things right in front of you when you are stressed out over school, so it has been really important for me to slow down and enjoy the present!” - Georgia Garner, AC ‘18
✺ Fun Facts ✺
Celebrity You Would Like to be Bff’s With?
“Sophie Turner 100% ! I think she is so funny, and it is a DREAM of mine to be a “J-Sister.” I would love to hang out with all of the Jonas Brothers and travel the world. A girl can dream!”
Role Model?
“My role model is definitely my mom. She shows so much grace in everything that she does, and she is such an amazing person. She teaches me to lead with kindness and reminds me of the value of perceptive. Oh, and she’s also a boss lady!”
Childhood Trend You Miss?
“A childhood trend I miss is bike riding. I miss riding bikes before we all had our driver’s license and just randomly going to gas stations during the summertime and getting an ICEE in your Roocup…good times!”
Dream Job?
“My dream job is to be a Physicians Assistant. I really want to work with sweet little babies in the NICU or work as a Pediatric PA for little children. As long as I’m with kids I’m good to go!”
Sydney Brown
This Tennessee girl has fully immersed herself in everything Clemson has to offer! Sydney shares her involvement with the College of Engineering, Ethicon, and Make Your Mark!
Sydney Brown, AC ‘17
“For me, the story pretty much begins and ends with the fact that Clemson simply felt like home. I'm originally from Franklin, Tennessee, and I had tons of schools on my list to visit and apply. No other school could compare to the way Clemson made me feel comfortable and hopeful for the best four years possible. I haven't regretted my decision for a single second!
By far my favorite thing to do outside of classes is being a tour guide/ambassador for the College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences. My major is Bioengineering, and I love being able to represent the department by showing parents and prospective students why I love BioE so much. Every few Fridays, I have so much fun giving presentations, walking students through our labs, and telling them why my classmates have become some of my best friends.
I am in the midst of my second co-op rotation with one of Johnson & Johnson's medical device companies, Ethicon. I work in the main manufacturing plant in Cornelia,GA, where we make almost 80% of the sutures used for surgery in the entire world (which is pretty crazy when you think about it). We also manufacture needles, Dermabond (basically skin glue), and injection molded parts for surgery. I work as a Quality Engineer, which means that I do a lot of statistics, process control, process/equipment validation, and overall just ensuring that every product that leaves our doors is safe and effective. I'm getting such great experience and exposure to the medical device industry through this co-op position.
I started with Make Your Mark over a year ago as a college ambassador but have now taken on the role of VP of Research. As an organization, our goal is to enter high schools and be an available resource to girls for really whatever they need as they take steps toward graduation and are thinking about what lies after high school. As the VP of Research, it is my job to make sure that all of our mentors and team members that interact with these high school girls are fully informed about options after high school that don't only involve college. It is my hope that Make Your Mark can provide female mentors for girls who might not have had them otherwise.
I only have two semesters of classes left in my curriculum, which means I am nearing the end. This is equally as exciting and terrifying, but luckily I am feeling ready to start planning my next steps after college. This semester, I am making final decisions about career goals and heavily researching graduate schools. After graduation, I am hoping to enter a masters program for Health Informatics. I would love to eventually use this advanced degree in a hospital setting, managing their data systems in order to optimize care and minimize cost.”- Sydney Brown, AC ‘17
✺ Fun Facts ✺
Go-To Throwback Jam?
"9 to 5" by Dolly Parton. This song never fails to make me sing at the top of my lungs; there's something about Dolly that's just good for the soul.”
Dream Job?
“In a perfect world, I would love to own a bookstore and bakery. Think M.Judson's in Greenville, the same kind of idea. This would be the absolute perfect job because it combines my two favorite things: baking and books!”
Spirit Animal?
“My spirit animal is definitely a French Bulldog. They're sassy, sweet, and curious, and I have plans to hopefully own one after I graduate!”
Happy Place?
“Any screened in porch on a rainy day. There's nothing that beats the feeling of curling up under a blanket and listening to the rain. I love a good rainy day almost as much as a sunny one.”
