Campus Celebrity: Chardonnay Tyson

You have probably seen Chardonnay Tyson around campus because she is involved in so many different activities. But did you know she is the world’s biggest Drake fan. Keep reading to learn more about Tyson hobbies inside and outside of school.

Photo provided by: Chardonnay Tyson

What year are you?

I am a Senior #ClassofMay2016!

What’s your major?

I’m a Psychology Major with a concentration in Leadership.

What’s your favorite thing about campus?

My absolute favorite thing about campus is the campus culture. The open mindedness of our students, the honest dialogue between students and faculty members, and the wonderful Student Life Staff that make every moment on campus feel and look picturesque. Just to highlight a few.  

What’s your favorite thing to do on campus?

My favorite thing to do on campus is interact with the freshman classes that come in each year. I truly enjoy mentoring younger students and being able to guide them through their first year as my mentors did for me.

In what ways are you involved on campus?

I am the Special Events Director of Harborside Activities Board, Vice President of Black Students Association, Safe Zone Trainer, Spectrum Mentor, Compass Peer Coach, member of the Multicultural Unity Council, member of the Multicultural Activities Council, a member of the Caribbean Cultural Exchange St. Petersburg and member of the Psychological Science Organization. I am also currently in the midst of campaigning to be a Senator in Student Government Association.

What is it like being a HAB director?

Being a HAB Director is amazingly awesome although it is a lot of hard work. I love being able to host committee meetings with my amazing Special Eventers (that’s what the HAB members of my committee are affectionately called), and I love creating a fun, creative programming to amp up the social aspect of the college careers for all students. I want to go into the Higher Education Student Affairs in Graduate School thus this leadership role on campus gives me a great deal of practice for what I want to do in my next steps.

What do you do when not at school?

When I am not at school, I am in the U.S. Virgin Islands or the British Virgin Islands with my older brother and my friends.  We love finding new places to explore and take pictures of the new places we have found.

Favorite color?

No singular answer is all encompassing so I’ll give you my top three: Black, Silver and Purple.

What is your favorite book and movie?

Favorite Book would have to be The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and my favorite movie is “ Now You See Me”. Dave Franco is perfection.

What’s something on your bucket list?

My top activity on my bucket list is to Spend a week in Tahiti, French Polynesia while staying in those beautiful waterside hotel things that you always see in pictures.

Favorite musician or group? Why?

I am the BIGGEST Aubrey Drake Graham fan, enthusiast, supporter and everything else. From his very first appearance on the Teen Nick show Degrassi, I was head over heels for this talented Actor turned music mogul. Drake is EVERYTHING.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, I see myself being as happy as I possibly can be. I see my degrees on the wall of my office working as a Student Affairs Profession at a Mid-sized University. I definitely see myself aiding in the creation of lifelong memories for college students while helping them to develop skills necessary for the betterment of not only their communities but the world on a holistic scale.

Where are you from?

I was born in Puerto Rico, but I spent majority of my Life in United States Virgin Islands. Specifically the island of St. Thomas.

How was it moving from US Virgin Islands to Florida?

Change is often very difficult for me because I love familiarity and having a set routine, so moving to Florida at first was very hard for me. Not being able to wake up every morning and hearing people speak with the same dialect as me was a bit of a culture shock, but with time and a great deal of persistence I was able to become better acclimated with the St. Petersburg area and now I love it here.

Something you miss about back home.

The thing I miss the most about U.S.V.I is the crystal clear water at our beaches. Don’t get me wrong, Florida beaches aren’t too bad. But the water in the Virgin Islands is so clear you can see all the marine life from yards away. It’s the most beautiful thing.

What made you choose USFSP?

I didn’t exactly choose USFSP, I feel like it chose me. I wanted to go to a school that was near the water with relatively small class sizes, the opportunity to make genuine connections with other students and an amazing team of Student Life professionals. USFSP gave me all of those things and more.

What advice do you give incoming freshman?

I feel like the greatest piece of advice that I give to freshman is to make every opportunity a learning moment. You can learn so much from the people around you and increase your knowledge or simple awareness just my having one interaction with a person on campus. It doesn’t matter who it may be, everybody has a story. And just by listening they can impact your own personal story so much.

What quote do you live by?

The quote that I live by is actually from my favorite book. It states that, “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”

What is a fun fact that not many people know about you?

Fun fact that not many people know about me is in my spare time I write poetry and short stories that I plan on publishing someday.  Also, even though I am super involved on campus, I am an introvert that hates public speaking.

Anything else you would like the student body to know?

I challenge you all to be passionate about something on campus and get involved. Actually I challenge you all be passionate about anything because passionate people make changes and the world needs game changers. Put your heart and soul into the things you feel are worthy and you will make an impact. Stay Motivated <3