Finding Home
“Central is a place where we all get really involved. This is a place for everyone who wants to do everything.”
— Cassie Elliott ’26
Hometown: Cumming, Iowa
Major: Psychology
Minor: English
Scholarships: Journey, Presidential, Trustee, Waalkes Music
Campus Activities: A Cappella Choir, Student Ambassador, Student Orientation Staff Leader, Student Senate
Career Goal: Admission Counselor
As a high school student, Cassie Elliott ’26 wasn’t sure if she would go to college, but she always had a feeling that it might be her path.
“My siblings and I are first-generation college students. My parents didn’t go to college,” Elliott says. “It was never something I thought I needed to do in order to have a successful career, but it was always something that I was looking at. I always thought that was going to be the next step.”
As a first-generation college student, it took some time to determine what she was looking for in her college experience. Visiting Central’s campus changed everything.
“During my first visit to Central, I was meeting with the admission staff, and they showed me the personal connections I can make here and how everyone is looking out for each other,” Elliott says. “I visited again at the end of the year when I had some friends invite me over and say, ‘Hey, come spend the night here on campus and see what we’re about.’ I stayed on campus overnight and I really loved it.”
“The culture here, especially in the residence halls is great,” she continues. “Getting to meet people and knowing them all four years while you’re here at Central, you really get that close connection. That’s something that I valued even as a senior in high school.”
Newly inspired, Elliott made her decision to attend Central. When she arrived on campus, Elliott embraced the opportunity to start fresh. Central became the place where she could grow.
“When I moved here, it was all so new to me. I took that as an opportunity to reinvent myself,” Elliott says. “I joined so many clubs right off the bat. We had our involvement fair, and I was like, ‘Sign me up!’ I took that as an opportunity to try out a lot of new things.”
Getting involved on campus paid off. When she first came to Central, Elliott knew a handful of her peers. Now, she has connections and friendships across campus. From her involvement as the parliamentarian for Student Senate to her time spent at the Global Café at Geisler, Elliott loves to meet new people and talk with those around her.
“Joining a small school like Central is really beautiful,” Elliott says. “You get to know a lot of people without the pressure of sitting in a lecture full of 400 students. You get a class of maybe 20, and you might be with those students through all your four years at Central. It’s beautiful getting to bloom those friendships that you never would have had if you went to a larger state school.”
“Central is a place where we all get really involved,” she continues. “This is a place for everyone who wants to do everything. They can do it here. There are so many clubs that are started by students for students or started by faculty. There are lots of great opportunities for students to get connected with other people here at Central.”
Her passion for connecting with others on campus didn’t go unnoticed. During her first year, Elliott received an email from the admission office. She had been nominated to become a student ambassador, where she would represent Central in collaboration with the admission team. This role is the perfect fit for Elliott.
“I get to meet so many new people,” Elliott says. “I really love being able to wake up bright and early in the morning and help welcome a family to Central. I get to introduce them to the beauty of our campus and everything we have going on here. I really love being able to showcase what I personally love about Central and what I think are the highlights of a campus that has so many hidden gems to offer.”
Elliott has lots of conversations with high school students interested in Central, and she understands what it’s like to have to decide the next step after high school.
“It can be really scary moving to a new place,” she admits. “Take that as the chance to kind of transform yourself into something that you never thought you would have been.”
Elliott loves where she goes to school and wants other students to discover the impact of a Central education. Students can connect with Elliott directly at studentambassador@central.edu to learn more about what Central has to offer them and their future.