“They have a petting zoo?!” Upon arriving at Rader Family Farms this past weekend as the location of our interview, Deja Whitt exclaimed that statement, not able to contain her excitement once realizing this infamous pumpkin patch offered more than just pumpkins. After being best friends with this animal-loving young woman for five years now, you would think I would be able to predict statements like the one listed above, but nevertheless she still is able to surprise even me! Check out our interview below to learn more about my partner-in-crime from the woman herself!
Name: Deja Whitt
Age: 19
Year in school: Sophomore
Hometown: Calumet Park, IL.
Favorite color: Floral counts, right?
Celebrity Crush: Trigga Trey, hands down.
Pets: I’m a sucker for dogs! I own a little family of Shih Tzu’s: Queenie (the mom) Stewart (the baby) and Ruffie (the dad, who passed away over the summer after 14 long years of being girls’ best friend!).
Her Campus Illinois State: In 140 characters or less, describe yourself!
Deja Whitt: Scary movie watching, Spanglish speaking, lipstick lover!
HC ISU: Being that you are now just about halfway through first semester of sophomore year, let’s take a moment to reflect. What have been some key lessons you have learned since this time last year?
DW: The transition from freshman to sophomore is so, so important. You’re still in the process of learning a lot about yourself, but you definitely feel like you have a better grip on who you are and what you’re doing – it’s a fun place to be in and I’m taking it day by day! I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned so far is finding the right balance between having fun outside of the classroom while still being a productive student. This semester I’m an undergraduate teaching assistant for a History of Latin America course and a volunteer for the Humane Society of Central Illinois, so some nights it’s really tempting to put off grading papers and just hop in my car and go catch a movie or something. At the end of the day, it’s all about finding the right balance!
HC ISU: You are an active member in Illinois State University’s Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. What is that like?
DW: This is my second year as a member of ISU PRSSA and I absolutely love it! ISU is the first university in the state to have a public relations program that is CEPR certified by the Public Relations Society of America (it’s a big deal in the PR world!), so to be a part of a major with those kinds of credentials is an awesome opportunity. I currently serve as a contributing writer for ISU PRSSA’s Relations Committee, so I’m responsible for writing content for our blog, PRemier Chapter Newsletter and Alumni Newsletter. PRSSA has been an amazing resource for professional development and I’ve made pretty great personal and professional connections along the way.
HC ISU: Taylor Swift and her unique girl squad are seriously life goals. What makes your girl squad stand out?
DW: Growing up, my mom owned a beauty shop so I was raised around several examples of what strong, healthy friendships with other women looked like and the importance of them. My girl squad is one of the many layers of my giant support system and I don’t know where I would be without them! We’re all so vastly different and I think that’s what makes us mesh so well. Despite our differences, we’re able to create a safe and open space to talk about anything and everything! We’re all spread out in schools across the state, but as they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder!
HC ISU: If you could make an appearance in one Beyoncé music video, which video is it and why?
DW: Oh, tough one! I’m torn between “Diva” and “Get Me Bodied” (because, let’s be honest, we all had the choreo down in middle school).