I consider myself to be a very a lucky person. One of the reasons why is because I have the honor of knowing the extraordinary Kelly Van Roy. Being a Management and Liberal Studies double major with a concentration in Culture, Religion, and Society as well as minoring in Spanish and International Studies, Kelly is an excellent communicator and can often be found surrounded by international students at the MAX, driving to Atlanta for events, airplane drop-offs/pick-ups, or basically anything that involves making life easier and more enjoyable for anyone who knows her. Her salsa dancing skills are to die for. She is always on her toes and helping others in need, regardless of language barriers, nationality, or creed. Attending a liberal arts college that focuses so much on diversity and accepting others, Kelly does more than just read books or watch movies about being a better person. She goes out and does it.
Her Campus: Why did you decide to run for International Club President?
Kelly Van Roy: I became president during my Senior year but actually first ran my sophomore year and lost. I thought I wouldn’t be here for half of my junior year which is why I didn’t run then. After being an intern my sophomore year at the International Education Center, being president seemed like the logical next step. I just knew that I didn’t want to be another position.
HC: What makes your best memory of being involved in International Club?
KVR: Most often, the best memories are made when we’re simply together either eating at the Max for hours or attempting to study in each other’s company in the library. We have so many late nights it’s a wonder that we don’t collapse often. It is my own personal reward to see how much I mean to them when I help them simply because I want to.
HC: Why do you feel that it is important for us to have a foreign exchange program at our school?
KVR: This club is a beating heart that I wish other students of Georgia College could see. Our international students bring so much to the table not only in terms of diversity but also familiarity. It can be a real eye-opener to realize how others live while simultaneously realizing that they’re almost no different from us. In this increasingly global world, I feel that it is extremely important to have global connections and a basic understanding of various areas of the world and what we all have to offer each other. I believe that International Club helps us become more open minded to those things and therefore is one of the biggest advantages that this liberal-endowed university has to offer its students.
HC: What’s the hardest part of being involved with International Club?
KVR: These international students leave either every semester or every year, but the story is always the same: I end up loving them. They became like family to me, so we hang out and see each other almost every day. They give as much back to me as I do for them, and I couldn’t think of doing any less. My family’s always changing, but also always growing. It breaks my heart to see them leave, but I know that others will arrive again soon who are just as precious. The end result is that my family is now all over the world. These people are the best part about being in international club because they form my college memories and continuously teach me how to love.