Meet Christine

Name: Christine Peters

Hometown: Houston, TX

Major: English
Minor: Educational Psychology

Favorite class: Advanced Creative Writing

Get Involved

For many students the key to finding their own place at the university seems to be getting involved. Doing so can also help you to find your path for the future.

Christine Peters believes that incoming students should take advantage of the size of the University of Texas at Austin. “There are so many resources and opportunities to get involved,” she said. “It’s important to find smaller communities within UT so you don’t feel lost.”

Taking the Lead

“The most important thing about college is the academics, but without the extra involvement and leadership you just aren’t experiencing everything college has to offer,” Christine said.

“If you surround yourself with other motivated and involved students, you’ll be more inclined to do well and push yourself to succeed. To me, college is all about experiencing different things so you know what you want to do once you are set to leave.”

Taking Her Own Advice

And Christine has taken her own advice. Two things in particular have motivated her on campus: the time she has spent as an orientation advisor and her participation and leadership in Greek Life.

She joined a sorority during her freshman year and got involved in the Greek community on campus. During her second year as a Longhorn, she applied to be an Orientation Advisor and became involved with many aspects of campus life.

“I find that the students who get involved in campus activities make better grades and just enjoy their college experience more,” she said.

Christine believes that taking a leadership role is about more than participating; it’s also about learning to trust others and yourself. During 2004 Christine was Vice President of Program Development for her sorority. Holding the position meant that she was in charge of a department that included scholarships, ritual, member development, member education, and music.

“I learned so much about being a leader and learning how to trust the leaders around you. That was one office that you could not do everyone’s work for them,” Christine said.

For Christine the learning process also comes from the actual experience of leading a group of fellow students, planning events, making mistakes, and learning how to deal with situations as they arise.

“As an Orientation Advisor you’re a mentor and guide to the new class,” Christine explained. “Being an advisor has taught me a lot about what it means to really be a representative of the University. The new students associate you directly with UT. What you say and what information you tell is as if UT is saying it. I had never been in a position like that before, and I learned a lot.”

Academic Opportunities

The university’s size also means that there are a variety of academic options and opportunities available. Christine is an English major in the College of Liberal Arts, something she knows that many people may have a difficult time understanding.

“I get the question of ‘what are you going to do with that degree?’ a lot,” Christine said.

Her response is clearly practical.

“I like talking to other Liberal Arts majors about their goals because so often it’s not about the money they’ll be making. It’s about the work they’ll be doing. The people they hope to be helping. The things they want to learn about. The differences they want to make,” Christine explains.

After graduation Christine plans to go to Europe and teach English language while experiencing different cultures and traveling to different parts of the world before applying to graduate school in the areas of American Studies or Women’s Studies. “I have always wanted to pursue higher degrees, and I don’t plan on stopping until I’ve earned a PhD. I guess I am one of those people who truly love school,” she said.

She’s not certain of her final goal, but Christine does think she may want to be a professor someday. “All I know is I am pursuing things that make me happy and are interesting to me. So far, that has really worked out. I wouldn’t change anything about my college experience.”

Questions

Contact Christine by e-mail.