Commencement Spotlight: Kate E. Anderson

Kate E. Anderson, C/LT COL, AFROTC
University College and Scripps College of Communication
Communications Studies
Aerospace Studies minor
Applied Nutrition minor

What are your next steps or plans for the future? 
The day of graduation I will also be commissioning as an active-duty U.S. Air Force officer. I will be moving to San Antonio, Texas, to be the public affairs officer for the 37th Training Wing on Lackland Air Force Base. Currently I do plan to make a career out of it and spend at least 20 years serving then moving onto the next steps in life. 

What memory stands out from your time at OHIO? 
As much as I love all the memories, I have made here at OHIO one that sticks out the most to me was the winter of my junior year there was a big snowstorm so of course my best friends and I decided it was a great time to have a snowball fight and sled down the hills all over campus. 

Why did you choose, and stick with, OHIO?  
In high school I had very little interest in searching for the perfect college for me but knew I wanted to get my degree. I originally chose OHIO because it was close to home and had plenty of different degrees to pursue. However, I quickly fell in love with Ohio University and the people here. I have met friends who I will love my entire life and am constantly surrounded by a beautiful campus. 

Who were your favorite professors and how did they make an impact on your life? 
By far my two favorite professors here at OHIO are Dr. China Billotte-Verhoff and Dr. Karen Deardorff. Both of these professors helped me fall in love with my communication studies degree and inspired me in many ways to dream bigger because I was capable of more than I had thought. 

What was the hardest hill you had to climb (not counting Jeff Hill) at OHIO? And how did you overcome challenges or obstacles in your path? 
Being a part of Air Force ROTC was an extremely rewarding experience and I am forever grateful for all the opportunities it has presented me, BUT I am not a morning person so having a 5 am wakeup call nearly every morning for 4 years was a challenge I did not expect to choose. Luckily, the program and people made it worth getting up that early no matter how slowly I rolled out of bed. 

What are your favorite OHIO memories? 
Some memories I will cherish forever will be the fall football games, early morning workout sessions for AFROTC, and walking on college green on a perfect day. I spent many hours in the coffee shops working on homework or chatting with friends procrastinating my next assignment. 

What’s the one thing you would tell a new OHIO student not to miss? 
When you have the opportunity to experience something, take it. There were too many times when I felt I had too much homework or not enough time, so I did not go to lunch with a friend or go out on a Friday night but those are the moments you will look back on and remember fondly. Obviously, we are all here for a degree at the end of the day but be sure life does not pass you by because you don’t know when those moments may be taken away by a pandemic or some other event.