ABOUT Ashley
University of California, Berkeley, Senior
Why did you choose your school and what makes it better than the rest?
I’m an athlete so athletics played a big role in my choice of school. UC Berkeley ended up being my perfect fit. Northern California is away from home but not too far, and UC Berkeley is ripe with both academic and athletic excellence.
What kind of activities are you involved in? (sorority, theatre, clubs, etc)
Aside from being a student, as I mentioned earlier I am an athlete. I am a member of the Cal’s track and field team. I am a 3x NCAA D1 Regional Qualifier, 3x PAC 12 competitor, 2x NCAA D1 National Qualifier, 2x Honorable Mention All-American, 2017 PAC 12 podium finisher, and I competed in my first US National Track and Field Championship just a couple weeks ago. Linked with athletics I am the President of the Black Student Athlete Committee which, with the assistance of three other African-American student-athletes, I started to better the experience of black student-athletes on our campus and better involve them in our community. Lastly, I am the head captain/choreographer for The Bearettes Drill Team at Berkeley which was started just two years ago with hopes to create a welcoming space for women if color to express themselves through dance while representing their university. We will make history this fall as we perform in our first football game! The first drill team to ever do so on our campus.
If you had to choose one social media to use for the year, what would it be and why?
This is a hard one but I think I’d have to choose twitter. There are so many sarcastically clever people on that app and it’s right up my alley, but I will forsure miss all the funny memes Instagram has to offer.
What’s your major/what are you thinking of majoring in?
I am majoring in legal studies, a far jump from Nutritional Science which I thought I wanted to major in until I actually took it, and then had to take it again haha.
What do you know now that you wish you knew as a freshman?
I wish I would have known to make more of an effort to establish good relationships with my professors. I am at the point where law school applications are going to be coming in to play soon and I’m drawing a blank when I think of possible professors to write me an educational letter of recommendation.
Do you have a favorite sports team?
Team USA.
What is a nickname that your friends call you?
I’ve always wanted a proper nickname but never really got one. Something that’s not simply half my name like “Ash”, which is what I would get most of the time, save a few people who have their own personal names.
Which celebrity would you invite to a dinner party at your house?
Probably Mo’Nique, or any of the black queens of Hollywood, Regina Hall, Meagan Good, Gabrielle Union, Sanaa Lathan and of course Queen Latifah. Oh and Keri Washington.
