A communication major and sociology minor, junior Caroline Wilson is dedicated to promoting cohesiveness between the campus and Geneseo community. She’s a member of Sigma Delta Tau sorority and is the Main Street Manager—an internship position—at Livingston County Economic Development. Her self-described mission is to encourage students’ involvement in the town as well as locals’ involvement on campus.
“Working with both on-campus and off-campus organizations has definitely allowed me to understand all sides and perspectives, which really helps with my goal,” Wilson said.
Studying in the personal and professional track of communication, Wilson is proficient at speaking to people and businesses in a fashion that is relatable and friendly while also qualified and to-the-point. These virtuous traits have aided her pursuits, especially through her internship work.
After weeks of effort, Wilson sent out a list to the student body on Tuesday Dec. 8 that delineated most of the major holiday discounts at local businesses to inspire student connection with their shopping and service resources in town. Nineteen companies with various specialties were listed. To compile the information for the list, Wilson visited the establishments personally to inquire about seasonal deals.
“I work on getting any relevant community information out to students, so I thought of the idea to collect deals and discounts together into one place,” she said. “I asked businesses if they had any promotions going on for the holidays. Many did, and some created deals based on my inquiry.”
Because the list was only recently sent out, its success can’t be determined yet, but reactions from students have been tremendously approving and grateful. “I haven’t heard back from any of the businesses yet, but student feedback has been very positive and appreciative,” Wilson said.
Another project she’s involved in through her internship is a monthly online newsletter that consolidates information about events in the student and campus community as well as within the town and surrounding area. Wilson reported that community member subscription has been growing, but noted that student subscription has not gained much momentum yet, as the newsletter launched in July.
“It tells a bit about each event and might strike people’s interest,” she said. “I’d love to see more student subscribers because right now it’s mostly been promoted through the community, but I would like to make it my mission to get a lot of students subscribed.”
A sister of SDT since her freshman year, Wilson has acted as a public relations person for the organization in the past and currently holds the position of Vice President of Panhellenic Counsel. Wilson said that taking on such leadership positions has provided her with great opportunities to bring the campus and community members together.
“My cousin was in SDT before I came to Geneseo—she’s a senior right now—and she introduced me to all of her friends which sparked my interest in joining. But also I just wanted to be in an organization. I’ve always been interested in getting involved,” she said. “It’s given me rewarding experiences within the Geneseo community—both on and off campus.”
While she has not yet decided on the specific career path she wishes to pursue after her undergraduate education, Wilson wants to continue doing work that is relevant to her passion for community and fostering positive experiences and involvement in local business. Her ambition radiates in her communication and her professional self-presentation—she and her contributions are invaluable assets to Geneseo.