Life Update & SCAD Undergrad Graduation

Hey, so crazy change of plans!!

Last August, two weeks before we all returned to Savannah, my teammates and I found out that the SCAD Savannah Cross Country and Track & Field teams were being shut down after this school year. We all had the option to either transfer to SCAD Atlanta to compete on their team, or stay in Savannah and not compete as a student-athlete for SCAD. It was a complete surprise and created a whirlwind in which we each had to build a new plan for the next year to few years. I’m so blessed that in a crazy turn of events, I decided to graduate early, taking only 3 and one third years to complete my B.F.A. in Photography, in order to get my M.A. in Graphic Design and Visual Experience at SCAD Atlanta while running for their XC/TF team there. This suddenly meant that instead of this school year being my junior year, it became my surprise senior year, as well as the last year of SCAD Savannah XC/TF’s existence. 

This spring quarter I unofficially started my graduate-level classes in graphic design, which was a massive challenge, having not done my undergrad in that field. I’ve learned so much and I was relieved to find that I really enjoy it. I somehow took my senior photography portfolio class at the same time as the first two prerequisite masters graphic design classes, which was the most academically intense quarter of my life. I loved what I was learning and I’m so proud of a lot of the work I created, but it took overcoming a lot of self doubt, as well as a lot of YouTube tutorials. I’ll be sharing projects from all of those classes throughout the summer. 

SCAD Savannah XC/TF is special. Like, really special. Most student-athletes would say the same but I really believe that the community and family we’ve created, even though I was only around for the last three years of it, is the best. I’m so thankful for my best friends who I’ve gotten to suffer and celebrate with. All in good measure! But SCAD Sav XC/TF will live on in our hearts. I can’t wait to live the rest of my life traveling the world to go on more runs with my silly friends. #rollhive 

I have a lot to say about Savannah, Georgia. I’ll be saying it in some upcoming photography projects but just know that again, Savannah is special. It was the first place I really made my own, as I showed up alone as a terrified seventeen year old in 2023. I believe that I’m leaving as a confident, independent, strong, but forever curious twenty year old, surrounded by a tribe of artists and athletes (and artist athletes) who helped me make the city mine. I loved hard, learned a lot, ran a lot, cried a decent amount, laughed more than I cried, and cycled more than I can even calculate. The Forest City — I love you forever. 

Ultimately, I’m so excited for this next chapter in Atlanta. The way that academics and athletics have lined up feels so incredibly unique that I believe it’s meant to be. You really never know what God has in store for you. This doesn’t mean that this last year wasn’t bittersweet and unexpected. But B.F.A. stands for Best Friends Always, right? 

Running photos by: Jaycee Corrigan

Graduation photos by: Carlotta Walser