Highlighting Excellence #5: Kayleigh Fick
I’ve got a hunch your mom is proud of you already!
This might be the last article I write as a Pacifican Staff Writer, and there is no better way to close it out than to share the awesomeness of Kayleigh Fick with all of you. Kayleigh, a member of the class of 2025, is a Political Science Major with a concentration in Criminal Justice and minors in History, Pre-Law, and Public Affairs. Her campus involvements are many, and they include serving as the President of Phi Alpha Delta (PAD), Pacific’s professional co-ed pre-law fraternity, and as the Vice President of Education of the Kappa Alpha Theta social sorority. Kayleigh is also a Tiger Team Ambassador, a Pacific Legal Scholar, and a Resident Assistant. Off-campus, Kayleigh had the privilege of interning at a busy law firm in the spring of 2023 as part of the Washington Semester Program and has also been a returning student volunteer at the Children's Museum of Stockton.
Kayleigh is a bit of a powerhouse, as you can tell, so I imagined it might be difficult for her to narrow down what accomplishment she is most proud of. However, she did not even hesitate for a moment when I asked. Kayleigh proudly declared that she was “most proud of growing Phi Alpha Delta into the organization it is today.” She explained that she took on the role of President in her first semester as a member because someone needed to step up. After an impromptu speech, she had the job! Kayleigh says she “had no clue how to do [her] position, but [she] learned and had great support from [her] executive board.” Kayleigh says that despite beginning the school with just nine members, the fraternity has grown rapidly to 28 members, is able to provide LSAT prep, and has brought back the Partner/Associate program. These accomplishments led Kayleigh to declare that she is “so proud of Phi Alpha Delta!”
Despite her many involvements, Kayleigh admits that she has “gone through a lot in life to get to where [she is] today.” Kayleigh overcame economic and familial challenges and left her home in Vegas to attend school out of state and make a new life for herself on her own terms. Kayleigh says that her mother was a single parent and a high school English teacher who “provided endless support throughout [her] educational journey and [Kayleigh is] so grateful for her.” Kayleigh hopes to make her mom proud and to pursue a career in environmental law where she hopes to fight “against big business and corporate polluters.”
To wrap up, I asked Kayleigh what advice she might hypothetically give to a new student. But to Kayleigh, this question was anything but hypothetical. She explained that as a member of Tiger Team, she interacts with prospective students all the time and that it is “the joy of [her] job!” Kayleigh says she always advises new students to come into college with an open mind, saying, “You will grow into a new person, improve your character, and change your career path a million times throughout college- and that's the beauty of it all! Try new things, join clubs, and find your people- embrace the personal growth college can prompt you to do.”
I couldn’t agree more with Kayleigh, college has been a time of growth and exploration for me: even as someone who transferred in at the age of 24. If I had not tried new things, or joined clubs, my experience at Pacific would have been lesser for it. If you’re interested in nominating someone for highlighting excellence, please contact me at z_baker1@u.pacific.edu, maybe I’ll be able to squeeze one more in.