Name: Marlena Collins
Year: Senior
Major: Hospitality Administration, Marketing (minor), Gerontology (certificate)
Hometown: Edison, Georgia
Hobbies/Interests: Dance, Pageantry, reading, traveling, Trying new restaurants, volunteering, finding great deals on clothing, watching action movies, applying for scholarships and avoiding doing laundry
Her Campus: Why did you choose GSU?
Marlena Collins: I chose to attend Georgia State University because of its urban setting. Growing up in a rural area, I was drawn to the possibility and promise that Georgia State offers its students. There are limitless opportunities here that I felt I would not experience elsewhere. I also love belonging to a student body that is inspiring. Each Georgia State student has his or her own unique story and goals. Students are not here just to obtain a degree but to make a difference. Georgia State University has truly become my home. It’s my place to belong, my place to succeed, and a place in which I will forever take pride.
HC: What are you involved with on campus?
MC: 1913 Society Student Ambassador, President of Eta Sigma Delta Hospitality Honors Society, GSU Dance Ensemble, Honors College Ambassador, Student Assistant with the School of Hospitality, RCB Honors Program, VISA Leader, Miss Georgia State University 2014, Georgia State University Homecoming Court 2015, Alzheimer’s Association Young Advocates Group and youngest certified speaker in the Georgia Speaker’s Bureau, Founder and VP of Programs for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Student Leadership Consortium, Welcome Center Tour Guide, Former President of Alpha Lambda Delta, Former FYRE Mentor, Former Golden Key International Honor Society Social Chair
HC: How did it feel to hold the Ms. Georgia State title?
MC: This was a true honor for me to represent the university that I love while having the incredible opportunity to share with others what it means to be a Georgia State Panther. This university has given me so much, and I enjoyed having the ability to share with potential students and the community what Georgia State does for its students. Competing in Miss Georgia, was a thrill and I was proud to bring home a Top 5 Non-Finalist Interview Award. It takes a million moments to make a lifetime but only one to change it. Being crowned Miss Georgia State University was certainly that for me.
HC: What is one of your most memorable moments during your reign?
MC: From a fun-filled, fast-paced week at Miss Georgia to crowning the Homecoming court at the Georgia Dome to advocating to end Alzheimer’s at the Georgia Capitol to walking in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, judging GSU’s Best Dance Crew, or hosting a pancake brunch for the homeless – every moment was one to remember. I enjoyed working the phone bank at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Radiothon, riding in the Homecoming parade, hosting the Royal Flame Awards, and moderating the More American Than Me panel for Panthers Allure.
I also had the chance to emcee the Mrs. AG Rhodes pageant. But as Miss Georgia State University, I had the incredible experience of helping found a Student Leadership Consortium for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to benefit Hughes Spaulding Children’s Hospital. I also became the youngest certified speaker in the Georgia Alzheimer’s Association’s Speaker Bureau and promoted my platform, Alzheimer’s Awareness, throughout the year.
HC: What was did you learn during your reign?
MC: One of my favorite quotes from Steve Prefontaine is “You don’t get what you wish for, you get what you work for.” The truth in this quote is what I learned. I realized the importance of using your time wisely and making the most of your year.
HC: What is it like being a member of 1913 Society?
MC: The 1913 Society teaches you to be a polished, professional, and personable individual. The work in which you are engaged gives you a true sense of what it means to be a part of something bigger than yourself.
HC: What does being apart of 1913 Society teach you?
MC: It teaches you to have a service heart, a passion for the future of your university, and to remember this Maya Angelou’s quote, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
HC: Who is your role model?
MC: My role model is Dr. Cannon, Director of the Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality. When she speaks to you its as though you are the most important person in the world at that moment, this is something that comes naturally to only those who are incredible people inside and out. She embodies what it means to have a true service heart and continues to inspire me as a woman with the passion to impact the lives of thousands of students.
HC: What is your dream job?
MC: My dream job is to work in sales with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau then eventually move on to manage the hospitality services in an luxury retirement community.
HC: What is your favorite quote?
MC: It is a 3 way tie!
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Everybody dies, but not everybody lives.” – Drake
“Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.” – Sophia Loren
HC: How do you want GSU to remember you?
MC: John Shedd once said, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are for.”
I would like to leave a legacy that inspires other young women to believe in themselves. I hope my experience will encourage them to let their ship sail because at Georgia State you have the ability to chart your own course. I hope to have people remember me as someone that not just created a name for myself but as someone who helped others realize their own value.