Have you ever been around someone and thought, “Wow I hope they remember me 20 years from now when they are famous?” That’s how I feel around Anne Marie Hagerty.
From her bubbly laugh to driven personality, Anne Marie is definitely one to watch.
Her Campus sat down with AM for a few minutes to discuss everything from her favorite midnight snack to how she balances a job in the “real world” while being a full-time student at UNC.
Year? Sophomore
Favorite quote? Proverbs 16:9. That verse has always been a go-to in my life.
Guilty-pleasure snack of choice? That’s a tough one, but I’d have to say all kinds of popcorn: rosemary, extra cheddar, caramel, white cheddar…wow I love them all.
Spirit animal? People have told me I’m a flamingo and stallion before, but I don’t really see either one. Apparently I’ve heard that pandas are surprisingly violent, and I can get pretty mad when I’m hungry. So I guess if I’m being honest I’m more of a panda!
What are you involved in on campus? I work with Musical Empowerment, which is an awesome organization that teaches underprivileged kids how to play instruments. I am currently teaching piano lessons, and I love it. I also am part of the swing dance club!
Major? Broadcast Journalism and Political Science
What do you want to do with it? I want to tell people’s stories and bring to light the stories of ordinary people, not just politicians and celebrities. I want to highlight the ones who are incredible in their own way but are never seen. I plan to work on the Hill for at least a time in my life and travel the world, too.
You balance working 30 hours a week at WRAL in Raleigh and taking 12 hours of classes….Are you wonderwoman?
HAHA no I am not, although it would be really awesome to wear spanx and a cape to work instead of a dress and heels. I require a large, daily intake of coffee; I listen to audiobooks on the car rides back and forth between Raleigh and Chapel Hill, and I study whenever I have a spare minute. That’s how finding the balance happens – you just have to do a lot of cross-training.
What are some issues that you are really passionate about? That one is really hard for me to answer, because I could give you a list of one hundred right off the top of my head. But I would have to say that I am most passionate about understanding people, and with that, understanding differences in cultures. People are fascinating in that we all live similar lives: born, grow up, get married, reproduce, work, and die. But we do it in so many different ways, and the differences in life make it interesting. Also, after living in India for the summer, my eyes were opened to the sex trafficking industry abroad. Seeing firsthand the girls who had lived their whole lives in fear of being sold by their parents for a few days of food changes you. That is my biggest humanitarian passion. It is a whole different category of importance. Bringing justice to that dehumanizing industry where people are sold as property and used for their body is something I care very deeply about.
What accomplishment are you most proud of? The work I did in India with girls who had been taken out of dangerous situations for being sex trafficked or sold without their knowledge. Pulling them out of that darkness and helping them realize there was still so much redemption and hope for their lives was very rewarding. It was incredible to make that a reality for a lot of girls through programs I helped develop and run in India.
Where do you want to travel next? I want to go to the coast of Greece and visit the sea towns of Europe SO badly. If anyone has a few thousand dollars lying around and they wanna give it to me, let me know!
What is an area of your life you want to improve or push yourself? I really want to run a full marathon! I’ve run a half marathon, but right now a full seems insurmountable so we will have to see. Also I have a Spanish midterm coming up so I really want to improve my Spanish before then too!
Keep up with Anne Marie on Instagram at @annemariehagerty!