Student: Kayla Ridgell
Kayla Ridgell, a student in the East Carolina University master of arts in health communication program, has excelled in her studies and brought a shining personality and contagious smile to the program.
“From her hard work in the classroom to her charismatic personality, Kayla is a student and Pirate that I will always remember,” said Brittany Thompson, teaching instructor.
Ridgell earned her bachelor’s in communication with a concentration in interpersonal/organizational communication from ECU in May 2017.
Kayla Ridgell, a graduate student at the School of Communication.
“At first, I was intimidated about the graduate program, especially with there being an emphasis in health, but that’s what actually has made it interesting,” she said.
Conquering her fear of intimidation by giving the classes her all has allowed her to maintain a 4.0 GPA.
She recently received the outstanding graduate student award through nominations of faculty members and her high GPA.
“The faculty is so willing to help, so I love being in this program,” Ridgell said.
Initially she wanted to become an academic advisor, but after doing an assistantship in teaching she now has a goal to become a communication professor.
“I didn’t know if I would like it but I ended up loving it,” Ridgell said.
This semester, she will be teaching her first class in public speaking after working at the Speech Communication Center during the spring and summer, where she helped students of all majors overcome their fear of public speaking.
She said the graduate program has given her the extra experience to help her decide what she wants to do in her later career.
“It’s more rigorous than the undergrad program, but it is definitely doable,” Ridgell said.
But, Ridgell is no stranger to taking on big tasks.
As an undergraduate, she was involved in the Student Government Association and served as director of marketing and communications and as the executive director of Student Activities and Organizations. She was also involved in the Student Activities Board, where she served as the public relations chair.
What advice do you have for other students?: Be yourself, get involved, network, utilize all the resources on campus, and have fun!
What is something cool about ECU that you wish you knew during your first year?: There were so many free resources I could utilize on campus, like the Speech Communication Center. I could practice my presentations and get feedback for improvement.
STATISTICS
College: Fine Arts and Communication
Major: Communication (with health emphasis)
Classification/Year: Master’s degree candidate
Hometown: Angier
Hobbies/interests: Exploring various videos on YouTube, watching romantic comedies, reading, discovering new makeup products, chatting over coffee
Clubs and Organizations: As an undergraduate here, I was involved in the Student Government Association; I served as the executive director of Student Activities and Organizations and the director of marketing and communication. I was also involved in the Student Activities Board; I served as the public relations chair.
FAVORITES
Favorite hangout: Starbucks
Favorite place on campus: Joyner East
Favorite place to eat: Cheesecake Factory
Favorite class: Communication Theory
Professor who influenced you the most: Brittany Thompson
Favorite band/musician: Drake
Favorite movie: “The Notebook”
MOTIVATIONS
The one thing you cannot live without: Jesus
Role model: My mother; she’s a retired lieutenant colonel after 20 years in the U.S. Army. She went to UNC-Chapel Hill for her BS in nursing and Duke University for her MS in nursing. She’s currently pursuing a master of divinity at Campbell University. She’s an author and mother of two. She inspires me to follow my dreams and pursue everything I wish to.