7 minute read
Crowning Achievements
Photo by Megan Bean
By Emily Daniels
It is often said that college is the shortest four years you’ll ever experience, but Riley Vergara-Cruz has certainly covered a lot of ground during her time on campus. A senior International Business (IB) and French double major from Franklin, TN, Vergara-Cruz has served as a member of half a dozen high-profile student organizations at Mississippi State – holding officer positions in nearly every one – all while juggling a small business that she’s owned since she was 14.
“My parents instilled in me the value of a strong work ethic,” says Vergara-Cruz. “If I wanted to go to college, I was going to be the one to pay for it. They taught me and my two brothers early on that if you wanted to do something, you had to make sure you could make it happen. Mississippi State was very accommodating when it came to finances for out-of-state students, and they helped me earn a lot of scholarships. When I learned about the IB program – how I could major in business, which was more versatile and practical while also studying other cultures and the French language – it wasn’t even a question as to whether or not I should go anywhere else.”
Soon after arriving on campus, she became involved in Freshman Edge, a community service and leadership program offered within the Student Association to help first-year students learn the skills to become better leaders.
Dance Marathon is a nationwide movement involving college and high school students at more than 400 schools across the country, all raising money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. MSU’s Dance Marathon students spend a year learning invaluable leadership and life skills while raising funds and interacting with patients and families from Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. The year culminates with a nine-hour event where the students stay on their feet through dancing, games and entertainment in celebration of the total amount raised that year.
Vergara-Cruz became involved her freshman year, reaching out to local businesses and corporate sponsors for donations. The following year she served as Co-director of Dance Marathon Relations, where she spearheaded the entire event. As a junior, she was the Vice President of Logistics, and this past year she served as the Emcee of the event.
“Dance Marathon made a huge impact on me because each year you get to know the awesome patients and families that you are raising money for and, at least for one night, help them have fun and forget all the suffering they have been through,” she says. “I wish more people knew about it because it is a really fun and rewarding philanthropy.”
Vergara-Cruz was also an active member of Delta Gamma sorority, where she was elected to serve in a number of executive positions, including Vice President of Programming, where she planned all of the sisterhood events, parties and chapter retreats throughout the year.
“I planned our chapter’s 50th anniversary gala at The Mill in Starkville,” she says. “It was my favorite event during my term as VP of Programming because there were more than 200 women – active members and alumni, all in one room. It was pretty special.”
Her junior year at State, Vergara-Cruz was elected to serve on the Bulldog Bash committee as Assistant Director, then Director in her senior year. Created in 1999, Bulldog Bash has grown to become Mississippi’s largest free outdoor concert. Typically drawing around 35,000 participants, the event takes place on a fall Friday night prior to an SEC home football game.
“My involvement with Bulldog Bash was a turning point for me regarding a possible career path,” she shares. “I think I would really like to work in the entertainment or music industry. My marketing classes and experience planning such a major music event made me realize that doing something like marketing research for the industry could be the perfect fit for me.”
Along with completing a course of study as rigorous as the International Business program, Vergara-Cruz is active in the College of Business, serving for two years as a COB Ambassador and working this past semester as a marketing intern in the Dean’s Office.
Vergara-Cruz owns a children’s event business, Dreams Do Come True Princess Parties, started when she was 14.
Photo courtesy of Riley Vergara-Cruz
As if she were not busy enough, Vergara-Cruz still manages to find time to continue running a business that she established as a freshman in high school.
“Growing up, I was really involved in musical theater in our town, and every year we helped the community theater raise money for a scholarship fund for the seniors,” she says. “My freshman year, we did a photo booth fundraiser at our town’s Pumpkin Fest, and we all dressed up as princesses, taking pictures with the children. Several moms asked us if we did this for birthday parties, and I told them, ‘No, but we definitely can!’ and I handed them my mom’s business card.”
After borrowing a dress from her high school’s theater department, her friend made an appearance at the first party, transformed as Cinderella. It was an instant hit, and shortly afterward the calls came rolling in from parents requesting actors for their children’s princessthemed birthday parties.
“I thought to myself, ‘This could actually be a business,’ and I asked my mom if she would help,” recalls Vergara-Cruz. “We started gathering old prom dresses from thrift stores and consignment shops and asked theaters if we could have any old costumes they weren’t using anymore. We would change the costumes up to look as close to the traditional princesses as they could get.”
Vergara-Cruz began promoting the new company – Dreams Do Come True Princess Parties – on social media. She asked her theater friends if they would be interested in dressing up as princesses, and she would attend the parties with them as their assistant.
“When they go to the parties, they sing a song, teach a dance, read a book or play a game and give out a ‘happy’ such as a sticker or bracelet,” she explains.
When Vergara-Cruz was a senior in high school, her mother Blandina, had the opportunity to lease the entire building where she worked as a hairdresser. She asked her daughter if she wanted to lease the building with her to open their own party venue. They did, and appropriately named it Riley’s.
“Riley’s is the umbrella company for Dreams Do Come True,” Vergara-Cruz says. “Now on Thursdays through Saturdays, we do all children’s parties, not just princesses. We host superhero or rock star parties, spa parties, karaoke and anything else you can think of at that venue. But if a client wants a party at home, we can still do that, too!”
Vergara-Cruz says that they have three full-time managers – college students who have been with the company from the beginning. They have many part-time employees who serve as characters, who are high school students and a few adults – musicians who work there for fun while trying to get their big breaks in nearby Nashville.
She says after she went to Mississippi State, her mother slowly began taking the reins of the company and loves it. Vergara-Cruz is still able to run the two websites, www.dreamsdocometrueprincessparties.com and www.RileysFranklinTN.com, as well as their social media, while in school.
"It’s been really fun having a business as a College of Business student,” she states. “I feel so fortunate to be able to apply the concepts I’m learning in the classroom to a real-life business."
This school year has looked a little different for Vergara-Cruz. Prior to 2020, many graduates could reminisce about their last year of college with a smile – hanging out with friends at sporting events, celebrating the last day of class and throwing their caps in the air at graduation. Currently, classes are almost entirely online, social distancing and masks are mandatory and classes will end before Thanksgiving. But she doesn’t let it get her down.
“I’m a very physical learner, so taking online or hybrid classes might be a bit of a challenge, but I see it as a good learning experience,” she says. “It’s all new – not just to me, but to everyone. We are all learning new and innovative ways to socialize, conduct class and even conduct business, and I can look back proudly and say I was a part of that history.”
Vergara-Cruz (front, third from left) and the fellow members of her 2018 Dance Marathon Leaders Council.
Photo courtesy of Riley Vergara-Cruz
