Scholarship Winners

Chelsea Tsuchida

After Chelsea graduated from St. Andrew’s Priory in 2009, she began attending the University of Puget Sound and quickly declared a double major in Communication Studies and English Literature. In addition to her studies, Chelsea is also very active within the campus community. She has written for the Puget Sound Trail, participated in Hui O Hawaii’s annual Lu`au and supported Puget Sound athletics as a cheerleader. Chelsea also consistently dances and choreographs for the Repertory Dance Group. Recently, Chelsea became a member of both Lambda Pi Eta (the national honor society for Communication students) and Mortar Board (a national honor society for college seniors). In the upcoming year, Chelsea will also be working to promote community service among her peers as the Publicity Chair and Webmaster for Circle K, an on-campus club that offers students numerous volunteer opportunities every year. She will also continue to work as a Course Assistant in the Communication Studies department.

After graduating this coming spring, Chelsea hopes to pursue a career in public relations or journalism. Over the past three years, Chelsea has participated in several internships, two of which are based in Hawaii and one abroad. Chelsea worked as an Administrative & PR intern for Maile Weddings & Events and as a Press & Marketing intern at the Royal Academy of Arts while studying abroad in London. Currently, she continues to work as a New Media Assistant for Hawaii Bride & Groom Magazine. Chelsea hopes to secure an internship with a PR firm in the Tacoma or Seattle area come fall.

Gretha Loubser

My family and I have traveled a long road from South Africa and are grateful for the opportunities that have been given to us in this country. One of the greatest blessings I have been granted is the ability to attend the University of Puget Sound, an institution that is, in my mind, unparalleled in its effort to help students reach their full potential. As a transfer from a large research university, I can speak to the genuine care and concern with which UPS's educational approach has been crafted.

The Communication Studies Department has been the cherry on top of an already wonderful experience. The courses I have taken as a Communication Studies major have enlightened me and offered me the chance to become a critical and analytic thinker. It has also provided me with ample opportunity to practice and improve my writing, a skill which is undoubtedly useful and immensely enjoyable. Above all, I have had the privilege of being taught by professors that are some of the most talented and gracious individuals I have met.

I look forward to my final year at this school and plan to cherish ever moment of it before entering the next phase of my life. Although I am not yet sure what the future has in store for me, I hope to use the skills I have gained as a Communication Studies major in my career. Whether it be with the Foreign Service or a local magazine, I know that my studies here will have prepared me to be the a confident and competent individual with plenty to offer.

Caitlin Shannon

I am a junior from Centennial, Colorado pursuing a dual degree in Communication Studies and Mathematics. The liberal arts education I am afforded at the University of Puget Sound provides me with the opportunity to explore and develop a passion for two very different fields of study. While I am currently studying abroad at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, I look forward to returning to the Pacific Northwest this summer and working with Professor Jasinski as an editorial intern for the academic journal, Rhetoric Quarterly. After graduation, I plan to attend law school, combining the communication skills of rhetorical analysis and oral speech with the math tools of problem solving and logic. Outside of class I enjoy many campus activities, including working with students as a Peer Advisor, Passages Leader, and Communication Studies Course Assistant, as well as being a part of the honor societies Phi Eta Sigma and Order of Omega, and immersing myself in groups and clubs, such as Greek Life, Repertory Dance Group, and Puget Sound Outdoors.