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  • Admissions Spotlight - Ashley Dudgeon

August 18, 2018

Where are you from (City, State)? Bloomfield, Kentucky

What’s your favorite spot on campus? The bridge by the soccer field. It’s a great place for a walk and some quiet time in the middle of a busy day! Plus, I love water!

What hobby do you wish you had more time for? Speaking of loving water…CRUISING! There’s nothing like being surrounded by the ocean for 5 - 7 days. I try to go on as many as I can! Or maybe spending more time with my husband, Chris and my family and pets. (Proud fur-mom of Bandit (Peka-Pom/Dog), Zorro, Josie and Little (All cats.)

What did you study in college? Business Administration with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration

If you could go to college again, what would you do differently? I would take advantage of study abroad opportunities, and I wouldn't have rushed it. I also probably wouldn't have ended up in the major I did. I was afraid there wouldn't job opportunities in my first choice, so I switched for security and financial reasons. What I’ve learned is that if you love what you do, the security and the salary will come naturally. If you don’t like what you do, all the money in the world won’t make a difference. Do what you LOVE!

What is the hardest class you have ever taken? College Algebra. Simple, I know, but I hate math of any kind. Luckily that was the highest level of math I had to take for my major!

What’s your favorite off-campus hangout? Darlin’ Jeans is my favorite restaurant in downtown Midway. Great food! But you can’t go wrong with any of the many restaurants and boutiques in this quaint little town!

If you weren't an admissions counselor, what would you be? I can’t even imagine my life outside of higher education. I love it so much! Maybe a journalist or news anchor? I’ve also considered teaching at the college level someday! I’ve taught adjunct classes before, but it would be really exciting to acquire a doctorate and to teach full-time.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given, favorite quote or song lyrics? There’s a song called “The Words I Would Say” by Sidewalk Prophets, and I just love the chorus: “Be strong in the Lord, never give up hope. You’re going to do great things-I already know. God’s got His hand on you, so don’t live life in fear. Forgive and Forget, but don’t forget why you’re here. Take your time and pray. Thank God for each day. These are the words I would say.”

Favorite college experience: So many to choose from… meeting my now-husband of five years. Meeting my best friend, Brandi. Meals in the dining hall with friends, evening classes that were a little more informal and full of interesting discussions. That time that a transformer blew on campus and all of the lights went out - my friends and I met up at Wendy’s and just hung out there for a few hours, laughing and enjoying each other’s company.

Best thing about Midway University: Most small campuses have that “out in the middle of nowhere” atmosphere because they ARE out in the middle of nowhere. Midway just seems that way, but you actually get the best of both worlds because of the close proximity of Lexington, Frankfort and Georgetown—all just fifteen minutes away! So you can be on the glorious, quiet, calm and safe campus one minute-and the next-catching a movie or at a mall with your friends in Lexington!

Advice for the college search: Be open-minded, and don’t believe what everyone tells you. What your friends and family know or believe about a college may be their own perception, or may have changed in the past few years. Make sure to check out lots of schools, ask questions and get answers for yourself! One of the biggest examples of perception is cost of attendance-the listed amount on the website is almost never the bottom line. Visit first, if you like the atmosphere-be admitted and allow the school to offer you a financial aid package to compare with other schools you liked. Visit, visit, visit! Big schools, small schools, close to home and far away. What you’ll find is that many schools have similar offerings, at the end of the day it comes down to a gut feeling. When you step foot on campus, you’ll just know.

Standard Starbucks order: Tall White Chocolate Mocha-but mainly on the right day! (Preferably Fall, about 60 degrees-the smell of crisp leaves in the air, it’s not just a drink, but an experience!)