Elizabeth Rockwell is known on Bluffton’s campus as a busy person, a triple major and a strong leader.
“I don’t think I’ve ever planned on being busy,” said Rockwell. “It’s just what you do…I haven’t known anything else.”
Rockwell, a senior, has majors in marketing, communication and business administration. She is involved with student engagement, is in Student Senate, works in the Tech Center and is the Marbeck Activities Council (MAC) chairperson. However, her journey to Bluffton started differently.
“I originally came on my visit as an education major,” said Rockwell. “I was also here for golf, so I was doing my visit as a recruit as well.”
Then, Rockwell declared a music major with a business concentration before she found her way as a business double major. She then picked up picked up a communication major, dropped the music major and picked back up the business major. She had only one extra class for a marketing major.
Rockwell credits the registrar, her departments, and the Office of Student Engagement for her successes.
“I’m definitely ready to move on from being a student,” said Rockwell. “I think I have been for awhile but I’m excited for the next step—but also very nervous.”
Trin Borgman, a psychology and social work major, works with Rockwell in the Tech Center and is in MAC.
“Lots of things in Bluffton rely on Elizabeth,” said Borgman. “She does a lot for the Bluffton community and I am going to miss her.”
Rockwell has also worked for The Witmarsum, the music department and the Public Relations office in the past. She was also a student ambassador.
When asked why she is so involved in Bluffton, Rockwell had a simple answer.
“I was bored,” said Rockwell. “It’s that simple.”
Rockwell says she has always been a busy person since high school.
“My parents would say they wouldn’t see me from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m.,” said Rockwell. “That’s just how it was.”
Rockwell’s impact on Bluffton can be seen in the rebranding of MAC. MAC was formerly known as Marbeck Center Board (MCB). Rockwell led the initiative to rebrand to help the organization to grow.
“Elizabeth is basically a prime example of what a leader should be in an organization,” said Anton Miller, a junior history major and MAC member. “She rebuilt MAC and made it into a well-functioning organization that can adapt. Although we lost members, our events have still been successful.”
After graduation, Rockwell would like to stay in higher education with a focus on student engagement. She hopes to find an entry-level job at a university, continuing to build on her skills developed at Bluffton.
“It gives me energy rather than me being stressed and dreading it all the time,” said Rockwell.
Rockwell’s friends and co-workers hope to see her stay in student engagement.
“I hope she continues down the path she’s been going down because she is really good at it,” said Miller.
