Finding Purpose in Possibility

Discovering new possibilities

Now an applied media, advertising and public relations major and English minor, Lexi came to the Bluff after graduating from Baldwin High School. 
 
While Lexi felt drawn to a communications-related degree, she wasn’t exactly sure what major best suited her interests. Luckily, the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts offered many choices and practical learning opportunities for her to explore. She found a Public Relations and Advertising Campaigns course with Lauren Suchy particularly valuable. 
 
“We developed a promotional campaign for a real client,” said Lexi. “This hands-on experience gave me a clearer understanding of the career path I want to pursue and helped confirm my interest in working in the field.” 
 
Participation in the Narratio Learning Community only reaffirmed Lexi’s decision. The first-year Learning Community allowed students to live alongside peers who shared their interests. Additionally, Narratio students learned to interpret and respond to narratives in many forms and studied storytelling and cultural traditions.  

Creating a future everyone can share

This spirit of remaining open to the lives and experiences of others led Lexi to Duquesne’s chapter of Best Buddies, an organization dedicated to ending social, physical and economic isolation for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Lexi served as a board member for the organization. 
 
“We have really large events so it can be a lot to coordinate, but very fun,” said Lexi. 
 
She had the privilege of accompanying program participants on outings to the Kamin Science Center and a bowling alley, among others. She’s proud of the impact she’s had through Best Buddies and the enduring connections she’s created.
 
“I saw one of our Buddies at Sheetz, and she ran up and gave me a hug,” said Lexi. “I introduced myself to her mom and she thanked me for making a difference. That’s a moment I always think about.”
 

Lexi’s involvement with Best Buddies led to a work-study position with St. Anthony School Programs, an inclusive educational program for individuals ages 5 to 21 with Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder and other special needs. St. Anthony’s post-secondary program is housed on Duquesne’s campus.
 
“A lot of students overlap from Best Buddies, and that has been really great,” said Lexi. “Since I already knew many of them, it was really easy to transition and they knew they could trust me.”
 
Lexi is proud to help others while building her professional skills. Above all, she’s discovered what she’s good at and why that’s good for the world.  
 
“I'm learning a lot from working with St. Anthony’s marketing department and have gotten a lot of experience with fundraising and other projects like their website and social media,” she said. 

Making friends who make a difference

Greek Life has brought Lexi additional friendships and leadership experience. It’s also given her the chance to further hone fundraising skills as her chapter focuses on fighting hunger through philanthropy and awareness. 
 
“I’m in Alpha Gamma Delta, though I never thought I was going to be in Greek Life,” said Lexi. “I’ve met great friends and done cool things. It’s helped me break out of my shell and try other activities. There’s a sense of community and always someone to depend on.”
 
Lexi’s best advice to students is to “try things you might not usually like.” While she was heavily involved in theater in high school and expected to continue during college, she’s been pleasantly surprised to find herself in a different space.
 

“The extracurriculars I did back then have no correlation to what I do now. When you try something different you can find what you're passionate about in the most unexpected places,” said Lexi. “It helps that Duquesne is a really great place to experience a variety of opportunities and meet so many people from all over the country and even the world.” 
 
After graduation, Lexi hopes to continue impacting the lives of others—something she didn’t know she could do through her chosen field of study before her time at Duquesne. 
 
“I see a direct correlation for what I want to do the rest of my life to what I’ve done on campus, and I didn't really realize it was possible to work in marketing with nonprofits,” said Lexi. “I’ve seen how rewarding it is, and getting to improve someone's life is definitely what I want to do. It’s my main goal.”