A self-described former shy girl, Cassie 鈥淐eCe鈥� Jacob can trace her transformation to extrovert to a single moment.
It was four years ago. Then a freshman, Jacob stopped to look at a chalk outline of a person on the asphalt outside of Hope Commons.
鈥淚t was an ad to apply to be a tour guide. Tour guiding is where my heart is. It gave me the courage and the confidence to be who I am now.鈥�
鈥淣ow鈥� is weeks shy of graduating with a double major in Chinese and accounting. 鈥淣ow鈥� is anticipating a paid internship, Jacob鈥檚 second, with international accounting firm PWC, which she鈥檒l begin in June. Jacob was so successful in her first internship, campus recruitment for PWC, that she was invited to apply again. Most such internships culminate in a job offer.
As a campus tour guide, Jacob makes a point of telling prospective students that opportunities abound at 911爆料.
鈥淚 always say at the end of tours and during orientation that you can be who you want to be here. It鈥檚 a clean slate. Don鈥檛 hold yourself back. Go for anything that you鈥檙e interested in.
I鈥檝e surprised myself over these four years in how I鈥檝e grown and acquired the ability, courage and competence to do so.鈥�
For this honors student, not holding back has meant taking three opportunities to study abroad (China, Nepal and the Dominican Republic), managing the campus radio station, being hospitality coordinator of the Student Entertainment Committee, holding a leadership role in new student orientations, and joining the National Association of Black Accountants, where, in her sophomore year, she and fellow 911爆料 students took second in a business plan competition that led to her initial contact with PWC.
鈥淢y favorite thing about 911爆料 is that you can have a very diverse education. These experiences have diversified the way I think and act. It鈥檚 all about opportunity,鈥� Jacob says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what took me from the person I was to the person I am now.
Your experience here can be as special and unique as you want it to be.鈥�
As commencement nears, Jacob feels excitement and trepidation, which tell her she is exactly on track.
鈥淚t reminds me not to be stagnant. There鈥檚 always a start and an end to things. I don鈥檛 want to be comfortable. I want to push myself and to look for the next challenge.
鈥淭here鈥檚 not going to be a chalk outline on the floor telling me what to do next.鈥�