After being elected last year as Winthrop’s 2021 Homecoming Queen, Rachel Griffith, a senior double major in mass communication and social media marketing engaged in a year-long process of making her debut that began as a spontaneous choice.
“It was a real spur of the moment decision.” Rachel said, “I had posted on my private snapchat story asking my friends if I should do it, and a few of them responded and encouraged me to apply. So I started my application and submitted it at the end of October. And then one day I got an email saying ‘Congratulations!’”
While Rachel’s decision to run for homecoming queen wasn’t planned, she found herself grateful to pursue something new when she was going through a difficult period of her life at that time.
“I’d say one main reason I did it. Besides the support that I knew I had behind me. I was also going through a time, trying to find out who I am or what my purpose was.” Rachel said
“Especially, unfortunately at the time my grandma had passed that same semester I ran for homecoming queen.”
As a senior now and after being homecoming queen, Rachel has been able to find her footing at Winthrop now and is appreciative of the growth she’s made to get herself here.
“I’ve had the chance to witness like four different homecomings. My freshman year, I didn’t really pop out because I was a freshman, so I was like, still shy and scared. And then sophomore year, it was mostly virtual and virtual was just mostly for alumni. So we didn’t do too many things on campus.” Rachel said. “ And then my junior year, when I was running, I felt like I had to pop out. So I was going to all the events and people knew my face and knew who I was. Compared to this year, I feel like a lot more people know me now that I’ve been an RA and I’m president of the Student Alumni Council.”
Rachel has also been able to grow closer to her fellow homecoming king, Bernard Hasan, throughout this process.
“I will say I did know Bernard, before us actually running because we’re in the same fraternity, We’re both in Alpha Kappa Tsi. We’re in that same fraternity. But we’re in two different levels of the fraternity since he is older. So while I’m going through the pledge process, I didn’t really interact too much with him.” Rachel said. “I didn’t even know he was running until later on. But later on as we were announced, we would put out a word for one another and encourage others to vote for one another. And then when we won I was like ‘I can’t believe I won’ and he was like ‘I knew you had it!” So that was a real personal moment for us. And since then our bond has only gotten closer.
Although Rachel is a senior, she will continue her undergraduate education after adding a double major.
“I will say, with me being a senior, I am a first semester senior. And I’ll actually be here a year extra. Due to me being a double major and adding my second major late.” Rachel said. “Once I graduate, I can’t wait for the experience to come back and tailgate and attend other events as well. Just to see how things changed. And seeing like Winthrop as a whole progressing, because we can only go up.”
Rachel is forever grateful for her experience for shaping her into who she is today.
“Winthrop has made me the person who I am today. Winthrop helped me and helped me grow.” Rachel said. “They helped me better myself as a person and gain characteristics and qualities as a leader, especially with me being involved in so much, including SAC and being an RA. And that’s what also gave me connections to everything.”
