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Alexandra Watson
Growing up in Morgantown I was exposed to several unique opportunities that are not available to most children. With a large, research focused land-grant institution in my back yard, I had the privilege of participating in numerous research projects, community programs, and outreach opportunities that were run by faculty and staff from the University. Through WVU, I was able to travel to Mexico to help empower and teach leadership to young Mexican females; travel to Honduras on a medical mission; be exposed to world class athletes and athletic facilities; attend inspiring lectures; and take courses that sparked my love for learning. After picking a major and realizing that the best program in the world for what I wanted to study existed at WVU, my decision was almost made for me, and I knew that I would continue to call Morgantown and WVU home.
What is your favorite Mountaineer memory?
I have so many Mountaineer memories and it is hard to only choose one. One of the proudest moments I have had as a Mountaineer occurred while participating in a sports diplomacy program. The summer going into my senior year of high school a group of Mexican’s traveled to Morgantown for one week to learn about female empowerment and leadership through soccer. On one of the last days of their trip we had a soccer tournament on the rec fields in the rain. Something about this day left me with a lot of pride in being a Mountaineer.
Why did you want to become a PSA?
I didn’t know about the PSA program until I was nominated and encouraged to apply by a faculty member. Before applying, I wanted to learn more about the program, so I looked through the website, read the mission and vision statements, and watched some PSA speeches. After learning more about this program, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of, as it would help me become a better role model and leader and would give me the opportunity to serve to the university that has given me so much.
What did you learn from the PSA experience?
In my final speech, I mentioned that “The PSA program has taught me more about my university in one semester than two decades as a Morgantown native has.” Although this may seem a little exaggerated, it is nothing but the truth. This class gave me the opportunity to learn about success and leadership, public speaking, programs and resources available to students, and so much more.