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Always with an open mind, CU Boulder graduate Samantha Lane dives into new opportunities and challenges in her life however unexpected they may be. 

Lane decided to major in Leadership and Community Engagement as she was interested in the community-based, hands-on experiences that the major offered, as well as making a difference in educational spaces. 

Her time at CU Boulder, however, started unexpectedly and with challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Yearning to make connections, she found and joined numerous new programs: as a coach for K-12 students in Public Achievement–a youth led civic engagement that promotes student voice and transformative change–, as a member of the Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity, as a Learning Assistant for a class she surprisingly loved–Weather and the Atmosphere–, and much more.

“When I started CU during the pandemic, my experience was anything but what I had expected it to be,” said Lane. “As I begin the next chapter of my life, I will do my best to remember that it's OK if not everything turns out perfectly or how I would expect it to, as there is a lot of beauty among the imperfect and unexpected if you look for it.”

Lane is a 2024 Outstanding Graduate, and her peers in her major describe her as “always the first to volunteer at any leadership opportunity within her group.”  

“She doesn’t leave anyone behind and is always so thoughtful about the impact she has on others,” they said.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

  I am a Boulder native and have lived in Boulder my entire life (I graduated from Fairview High School). I love Boulder as I love doing outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and skiing, and Boulder is a great place for that! I decided to major in Leadership and Community Engagement because I was interested in making a difference in our education system without going into teaching, and I felt that the Leadership major would be a great way for me to learn more about the education system. I was also really drawn to the major due to the community-based, hands-on experiences that it offers. For example, through the major I have gotten to work with youth outside of traditional classroom settings in many ways, such as through afterschool programs, alternative classes and community organizations. It is through these experiences that I have been able to figure out that I want to have a career working with youth in alternative settings to school.”

What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at CU Boulder that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

  One of the most significant lessons I have learned from CU is that the most wonderful experiences and opportunities often arise in the least expected ways, so it is important to have an open mind, as you never know what amazing opportunities you'll find when you do. Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to go to college, and I always loved to picture what my college life would look like. In fact, in high school, I even picked out many of the student organizations and programs I hoped to join when I got here. However, when I started CU during the pandemic (Fall 2020), my experience was anything but what I had expected it to be. However, I persevered, and in an attempt to meet new people during a year that seemed determined to keep me isolated from others so I wouldn't get sick, I decided to join some organizations I hadn't heard of before college, such as Public Achievement and Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity. In both of these organizations, I tried my best to be open minded and friendly, which helped these to become two of my favorite communities at CU Boulder, and I made some of my closest friends through these. Another example is my first year I randomly decided to take ATOC 1050 Weather and the Atmosphere to get a natural science credit out of the way, and I ended up loving the class so much I became a Learning Assistant for it for two semesters. Even though it was a very different subject than what I was majoring in, I ended up having a lot of fun and learning a lot of new facts and skills I wasn't even expecting to learn when I first started college! As I begin the next chapter of my life, I will do my best to remember that it's ok if not everything turns out perfectly or how I would expect it to, as there is a lot of beauty among the imperfect and unexpected if you look for it.”

What does graduating from CU Boulder represent for you and/or your community?

  For me, graduating from CU Boulder represents strength and resilience. Especially due to starting college during a pandemic, like for everyone in my year.There were a lot of challenges thrown my way. Graduating represents that I, along with my entire graduating class, overcame these challenges, and as such, I give huge kudos to the strength and resilience that everyone in my graduating class has been able to show to get to this point!”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

  My best piece of advice for incoming students is that it's OK if not everything turns out perfectly and if college feels really hard at times. Going into college, I always heard about the fun times that various adults around me had had in college and had heard from others that "college was the best time of their life." When I got to college though, I learned that while there are so many fun parts to college, there are also a lot of parts that are really hard, and sometimes people don't tell you about these parts before you begin your journey. People will talk about the lifelong friends that they made in college (which I did make several lifelong friends through college), but people don't always tell you how stressful it is to manage your classes and a job and your social life all at the same time. So I want to be the one to tell you, your experience is not going to be perfect. It's going to have a lot of ups and downs and sometimes you're going to experience a rollercoaster of emotions. There will be moments where you're going to feel lost and confused. And that's OK! That's normal! Everyone else around you has or will also experience challenges in college too! When you feel overwhelmed or stressed or any other emotion, feel it fully, as these emotions are valid and part of the college experience. It is through these experiences and emotions where you will grow the most. There is so much beauty in the imperfect and unexpected, so you have to have imperfect moments to find this beauty! It is in the moments where life is really hard where you will learn you have a strength that you didn't know you had! It is when you make it through the hardest times when you will feel the most accomplished! So embrace the chaos that is college, and know that every experience and every emotion, whether good or bad, is valid and brings beauty and strength.”

What are your next steps after graduation?

  After graduation, I am moving to San Diego. I will be spending the summer working as a unit leader at the Jewish Community Center summer camp, and I hope to find a career doing program management for either camp or afterschool programs (or for another program focusing on youth learning in alternative spaces).”