#PROFspective: Business Management and Entrepreneurship Major Alexia Thorpe

Today, we speak with Alexia Thorpe, a freshman business management and entrepreneurship major from Lawrence (Mercer County), NJ, who lives on campus in Mimosa Hall. Alexia will share her #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be a Rowan University student and how she’s getting the most out of her college experience as a Rowan Prof.

Name: Alexia Thorpe
Major: I am a Rowan Select student working toward a major in Business Management and Entrepreneurship at The William G. Rohrer College of Business
Minor: I plan on minoring in Marketing
Year: Freshman
Transfer Student: I attended Mercer County Community College for a year before applying to Rowan
Hometown and County: Lawerence, NJ (Mercer County)
Resident: Mimosa Hall

Academic clubs: I am a member of the Office of Orientation and Student Leadership Programs, the Office of Volunteerism, Community Engagement and Commuter Services, and Student University Programmers (SUP).

Athletic clubs: I am not currently a part of any athletic clubs at Rowan. I stick to evening yoga with Rosie.

Why did you choose your major? I had a part-time job in retail for almost two years which directed me towards a major in business management. I loved the part of my job that made way for me to hone leadership skills. Though my job was simple, it was not easy. It was stressful often times but, the challenges that came with this job molded me into a better leader.

One reason why you chose Rowan? Whenever I am asked this question, I like to say, Rowan chose me. I am a 20-year-old freshman and I am proud to be a Rowan student. Though Rowan wasn’t my first choice I believe I was meant to be here.

My typical day as a Rowan student:

I am a freshman and my typical days go like this … My morning routine consists of waking up after my third alarm. I set my alarms to snooze in five-minute increments an hour before I must head out. Any other way and I would be sleeping in every day.

I set my alarms on Mondays for 9:45 a.m. I have my College Composition class on Monday and Wednesday. My schedule is kind of wacky, but, it works for me. I love that on most days my classes are 15 minutes apart because I feel like I’m maximizing my daylight hours. On Fridays I wake up about the same time as my Monday-Wednesday schedule, instead of one class, I attend Writing Center and Reasoning with Functions at 2 p.m. My professor is trying to teach us that it is okay to be wrong. You are going to be wrong many times before you are right. Developing this mindset is a bit of challenge but it will be worth it for a career in Business. The best part is that there is free tutoring from Monday to Wednesday in James Hall and overall, my professors are especially helpful when I reach out to them.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have classes from 8 in the morning to 3: 15 in the afternoon. Tuesdays are my busiest days, so I like to take care of myself while jamming to Spotify’s “Songs to Sing in the Shower” playlist and or de-stress with evening yoga.

Every day, I break for lunch at about 12: 15 to 1: 15. Tuesday lunches are usually spent with other members of Student University Programmer’s Charitable Events Committee, some of whom were members of the 2017 First Year Connection Leadership (FCL) trip. Overall, I am surrounded by a pool of sociable, respectful, individuals here at Rowan; something I did not expect but is much grateful to experience and be a part of.

I live in the middle of campus, which is just awesome for so many reasons. One reason would be that Marketplace in the Student Center is only a two-minute walk away. So my friends and I meet there often for lunch, and to hang out. When we unwind on the weekends we get together in the Mimosa lounge to play social games and rant about our weekdays as freshmen in college.

Some days, I try to step-up through the Office of Orientation and Student Leadership Mentee Program. This program keeps me involved on campus and guides me in the right direction based on my aspirations to be a leader myself. An aspiration that is really important to me. My classes are quite easy-going this semester. Most of my days are spent keeping myself busy with homework, and studying on days I have the least classes. I just need to keep working on my time management skills and planning ahead of time for a successful, productive week.

In the near future, I look forward to joining a couple athletic clubs, mainly the Tennis Club and getting more involved with Christian ministries on campus.

Story organized and photography by:
Vanessa Vause, junior public relations major and advertising minor

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