The Spark of Leadership

Photo by Megan Bean

The Spark of Leadership

By Kirsten Shaw

Like a lot of kids, Ashley McLemore envisioned going off to college somewhere different than where she grew up. Then, as a high school junior, the Starkville native attended a Preview Day on the Mississippi State campus.

“It was hard to deny I liked the campus and was comfortable with the programs,” she recalls. “I knew I would major or minor in business and liked what I saw there. At the time, my mom worked in IT at the vet school, and that was a draw, too. It didn’t matter that it was only seven minutes from my house!”

McLemore has never looked back, plunging into campus life and its myriad of opportunities. The junior finance major has emerged as a leader with a desire to help others.

As a freshman, she was appointed by Student Association (SA) President Tyler McMurray to the SA Judicial Council, a position she will hold until graduation.

“We work with elections to be sure the process aligns with the [Association’s] constitution,” she comments. “The less people need us the better, because it means people are doing their jobs and working within the rules. One of my biggest roles is to attend Senate meetings and make sure they’re run according to the constitution.”

The enthusiastic Bulldog became an Ambassador for the College of Business during her sophomore year.

“We work at Academic Insight and Preview Days, and we have a list of prospective students we keep in touch with throughout the year by writing postcards, calling and texting,” she says. “Ambassadors also help with activities like alumni breakfasts and a community college honor society event, with campus visitors and speakers. We represent the College at organizational fairs. It’s a very fun group of students, too!”

McLemore has also been a member of MSU’s University Women in Business for more than two years and this year serves as Vice President of Communications. In addition, she is a campus representative for the nonprofit Mississippi Votes, promoting voter registration and encouraging students to get involved politically.

A longtime interest in politics has also led to McLemore’s first entrepreneurial venture. She is developing a business plan for an app called KnowVote. She has been matched up with an experienced student peer advisor from the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, and she also receives guidance from her mother, who herself is an entrepreneur.

“KnowVote will be a resource for new voters to educate them about candidates and basic political information,” McLemore remarks. “Sometimes it’s hard to find out a lot of information about the people who are running, especially in local elections. There can also be so much information that it’s hard for people to make decisions, so often they don’t vote at all.”

Earlier this year, McLemore took on one of her biggest tasks yet. She became Director of the University’s SPARK – Students Paving a Road to Knowledge – program. SPARK is a July leadership conference held on campus, designed to assist underrepresented rising high school seniors in laying a foundation for their futures. It introduces them to various avenues available after high school and equips them with tools to choose a path and understand how to prepare for it.

The Office of Admissions and Scholarships initiated the program in 2018, and McLemore was tapped then to serve on the executive board as Co-director of Outreach. When enrollment was higher than anticipated – about 200 – she was also recruited as a counselor for a group of 13 participants.

Hannah Whalum, one of those 13, told her, “You helped me realize that staying in Mississippi for college wasn’t a bad thing and that being in a different environment with different personalities allows for room to grow.”

Interest in SPARK was even greater this year, with 343 attending. “Student leadership and involvement is the motor that makes SPARK go,” states Tabora Cook, Coordinator of Recruitment Activities for the Office of Admissions. “I knew that the student leading this group had to be someone who was passionate about underrepresented students and also passionate about the diversity of Mississippi State. Ashley provided both of those things, as well as the ability to organize and execute the thoughts and ideas of her peers who worked with the conference.”

McLemore led a team of 23 MSU students in planning and producing the three-day conference, which is free for participants.

“Each day has a theme: discover, develop, create,” McLemore says. “Formulating a plan is the overarching goal (for each participant).”

Keynote speakers are tailored to each day’s focus. On “Discover Day” students also participate in a career assessment administered by the MSU Career Center to help identify their individual strengths and the types of careers where those qualities are needed. They hear “Real Talk” from a panel of Mississippi State students who discuss their own experiences, and they take part in activities that acquaint them with practical, necessary skills.

“We have a program called ‘The Search’ where they go into the computer lab with a list of words to search for on college or career websites,” says McLemore. “It familiarizes them with important information to look for and where it is.”

On “Develop Day,” participants begin to form their plans, learning more about the options available after high school. This year, they heard from a panel with speakers representing the military, Job Corps, community college, trade schools, university and post-graduate professional school. Personal development is also a focus, with games to build networking proficiency and awareness of life’s financial realities and even an etiquette luncheon.

“Create Day” offers a range of tools to help students accomplish their plans. They attend an organization fair with representatives from campus organizations including academic colleges, Greek chapters, the Maroon Volunteer Center, Student Support Services, the Student Association and the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, and they hear a speaker from Get2College, which focuses on college planning and financial aid in Mississippi. They learn about maintaining good health and the impact it has.

Reflecting on her own experience as a high school student, McLemore says, “Senior year in high school has a lot of moving parts. I didn’t realize how easy I had it. My uncle worked in the [MSU] admissions department when I was going through the application process, and my mom is an alum, so I could ask them questions. Working with SPARK, I’ve realized a lot of people are missing the resources that are out there. I’ve become a lot more empathetic and understanding of different points of view and experiences of students around Mississippi.”

SPARK 2019 did not end with the July conference. The MSU student team continues to serve participants.

“We’re paired with students during the conference and throughout the year following it,” McLemore says. “We keep in contact by phone and text to help with things like the college application process.”

Noting her team continues to meet regularly, she adds, “We talk about important dates and deadlines to share with participants, and we share questions we’ve received from them and get the information needed to answer those questions.”

McLemore (front, third from left) led a strong and enthusiastic SPARK team in 2019.

Photo courtesy of Ashley McLemore

SPARK invites participants back to campus for a reunion in the fall, coinciding with a campus Preview Day. They hear from speakers and meet with their student counselors to receive further help with post-high school planning and preparation.

Adding another element this year is that the original SPARK class has graduated from high school. Some have enrolled at Mississippi State.

“We’re making sure those who come here are still getting mentorship; if their original counselor graduated, we’ve paired them with someone new,” remarks McLemore. “Some have said they want to help with SPARK in the future.”

As to her own future, she says, “Immediately after undergrad, I want to pursue a career in corporate finance, helping companies make financial decisions, then later perhaps pursue a career in law or government.”

Her MSU business education gives her confidence. “I like the way our curriculum is set up – that I get to take classes in all aspects of business,” she says. “It’s a nice foundation to build upon. I’ve met a lot of people, and I believe I’ve learned a lot of things that directly apply to what I’ll experience in the work force.”

She predicts that she may work outside Mississippi for a time, but her goal is ultimately to return.

“There are things I can help change in Mississippi,” she states. “I’d like to offer job opportunities for people here, to further advance and develop our state.”

The bright young woman is appreciative of the experience she has gained at Mississippi State and knows it will provide a foundation for her aspirations.

“I have grown as a leader, as a team player and as a person,” she observes. “I was involved in high school but never held leadership positions. Because I’ve had the opportunity to lead here, I’ve learned a lot about myself and working with others. Every action and activity will prepare me for my career and future.

“The things I’ve done and the things I will do… I hope they all show that this is bigger than I am. I want to make other people better people as well. I want to share what I’ve learned and found, not only with Mississippi State students, but with the state of Mississippi.”