Ellen Currie
Ellen Currie
B.A. Communication, Public Relations and Broadcast Digital Journalism, 2021
“Choosing Mississippi State felt like a decision I never had to make––in all the best ways,” said Ellen Currie, a 2021 MSU graduate. “I grew up going to MSU games because of my dad’s passion for the Dawgs. Then I was able to watch my older sister thrive as a MSU student which was the icing on the cake for me. I knew I wanted to be a Bulldog. Starkville was home away from home! MSU was the only college I applied to.”
“As for the College of Arts & Sciences, it took some time for me to decide what path to land on. I talked a lot with my advisor about various majors, then decided on communication due to the ability to learn from others and take that information to share it in impactful ways. I knew CAS would help turn me into a great, factual story-teller.”
Currie was heavily involved on the MSU campus. Her areas of involvement were with Chi Omega sorority, Maroon VIP, New Maroon Camp, student government, Freshmen Forum, College of Arts & Sciences Ambassadors (CASA), where she served as secretary, Lambda Sigma Honor Society and Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
Though she loved all her organizations, the one with the most impact, she said, was Chi Omega. “This sisterhood served as my support pillar and I am unsure my other experiences would have occurred without it,” said Currie.
Two mentors that played an impact on her time at MSU were Hannah Coleman, her CASA advisor, and Amy Fountain, a communication faculty member.
“Hannah showed me how having a base of kindness in leadership is effective and transformative. Amy taught me how to be resilient when navigating challenges in the work place, kind of like a pandemic that takes place right in the middle of your junior year of college. Both of these women continue to invest into me by checking in on me, supporting me through the trials I have faced post-graduation, and just continue to encourage me from afar,” said Currie.
Navigating graduation in the middle of Covid and then life after the pandemic proved to have its difficulties, Currie said, so she opted to return to school during this time to obtain her masters in school counseling at Arkansas State University. It was also during this time that she began her first job at a local community college near her hometown of Caruthersville, Mo. Currie worked with a grant-funded program that works with low-income, first-generation students. Her specific area was TRIO ETS, a program bridging the gap between high school graduation and enrolling in college. From there, she transitioned into her current role as the Coordinator of Student Care and Support in the Dean of Students Office at Missouri State University. In this role, she helps the student body navigate various situation stressors, ensuring a path to success in college.
“The highlight of my professional career has been working to implement a new campus-wide program that helps Missouri State fight food insecurity and food waste, ‘Bears Share.’ My CAS education helped me with this process because I had learned how to be detail-oriented and effective with my communication to stakeholders about why this program was needed on campus. With this, over 1,000+ students have access to free food leftover from catered events on campus.”
Currie currently resides in Springfield, Missouri, and is active in her church, Westminster Presbyterian Church. She has sought to expand her support group and increase her involvement in her community through activism, reading, and needlepointing groups as well as attending local theater productions with friends. She enjoys spending time outside with her dog, Peggy, as well as walks with friends.
She remains connected to MSU by attending weddings of friends she met during her time at MSU. “I am in a constant cycle of attending weddings that all get to serve as mini-college reunions,” said Currie.
Social media has played a pivotal role in staying connected to friends as well as her goal to visit Starkville at least once a year to cheer on the Bulldogs.
Currie’s advice to today’s Mississippi State students is to slow down, invest in the people around you, and open your mind to new perspectives. When describing her MSU and CAS experience she said, “Loving––because that is how I felt at MSU: loved! I think people that love you are able to look past your flaws, help you transform, and want you to have the best experience possible. Every aspect of MSU and CAS truly made me feel that way. I am just so thankful I landed where I did.”