From holding a coveted and highly esteemed position on Boiler Gold Rush’s Student Orientation Committee to starting a university recognized club, all while being the lead singer of a successful band, is there anything Josh Long can’t do? Josh, a senior in Economics from Griffith, Indiana, is not only one of most accomplished and busiest people I’ve met, but also one of the most modest. I’m sure anyone who has crossed paths with Josh will tell you that as well. If you haven’t had the amazing opportunity to meet Josh here’s your chance!
Her Campus: What are all the clubs and organizations you’re currently involved in and have previously been involved in?
Josh Long: I’m involved with the Undergraduate Studies Program Student Council, Science Olympiad, Boiler Gold Rush, PUDM, Boilermaker Sports Alliance, Purdue Promise, and Project Impact. I’m on the Diversity Committee for this program called Foundations of Excellence. It’s a committee of mostly faculty and professional staff that is developing recommendations for the improvement of the first year experience at Purdue. I was on the Student Advisory Board for Marketing and Media.
HC: Now I also understand that on top of all that you’re one of the founders of the Boilermaker Sports Alliance? How did that come about?
JL: Freshman year, another student and I approached the athletic department with the idea of creating a student group that was dedicated to sports as a whole: improving attendance, bridging the gap between students and student-athletes, and also the gap between the athletic department and student organizations. After we kicked off, we brought in a few more students and after a year and a half, we officially became a student organization. It was A LOT of work, and we still have a lot more.
HC: What organization have you been most involved in and how?
JL: I would say Boiler Gold Rush. I was on the Student Orientation Committee for that, which plans the week of for new students along with overseeing the rest of the staff.
HC: What was your favorite part about being on SOC, and how has Boiler Gold Rush made an impact on your life?
JL: My favorite part of being on SOC was being able to see all of the work we put in come together, through watching the experiences of the new students, but also see our staff grow as leaders and mentors. BGR has helped me grow more as a leader than anything else in my life.
HC: What else has had an influence on your time here at Purdue?
JL: I would just say the scope of what Purdue has to offer in general. I feel like I’ve gotten to meet so many different types of people because of the vast opportunities that Purdue has and because of that, the campus feels a lot smaller than it actually is. I can’t walk through it without stopping to talk to someone I know. I love that. I didn’t even really notice till this year. Something clicked and I was like, “40,000 people, and I see someone I know all the time.”
HC: On top of all your collegiate experiences, you’re also the singer of a pretty successful band, A Taste for Two. How did your band start up?
JL: Well, my freshman year I started to write songs and I decided to record them. I enlisted some friends and the next thing I knew I was putting an EP out. It’s been a whirlwind
HC: How would you describe the sound of your band and what made you interested in music to begin with?
JL: The sound is mostly just rock, with some acoustic influences. I’ve always loved music, any type and eventually it naturally progressed to making music.
HC: What’s the future look like for your band and singing career?
JL: I’m not sure. I haven’t been able to be as serious as I would have liked because of all my responsibilities with school. That being said, we have had a lot of opportunities come our way. We just opened for Craig Owens in Chicago. I think that for the future, I would be ok with just taking it slow, and going with whatever comes our way, whether it’s going with it full time, or just something to do for fun.
HC: You’ve been involved in so much here since your freshman year – is there anything you still want to do before you graduate?
JL: Oh yes, there’s so much I haven’t been able to do. I would include small stuff too, like getting a pick 5 for Convocations (you pick five of the performances that they offer and get a discount). With that, I haven’t been able to do as much rec sports as I would have liked. Hopefully, I’ll get to do some this spring.
Check out A Taste for Two’s music at:
http://www.facebook.com/atastefortwo
http://atastefortwo.bandcamp.com/
*All photos provided by Josh Long
*Photo credit: Brian Powell
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Purdue chapter.