Name: Venisha Pendergrass
Year: Senior
Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina
Major: Political Science Minor: Hospitality Management
Organization: President of Residence Hall Association
Meet Venisha Pendergrass. As a senior at the University of South Carolina, Venisha has made quite an impact on the University during her four years here. She started her leadership a few years ago when she decided to become a Resident Mentor. She was a Resident Mentor for her freshman and sophomore years residing in Bates House.
Last year, she co-founded and coordinated CHICKS, a conference to help bridge the gap between personal and professional development for young, college women at USC. The conference was built off the idea of female empowerment.
“I enjoyed watching CHICKS go from a simple idea in the middle of a conversation to a highly anticipated event that provided women with the skills and resources they needed to be successful in the classroom, student organizations, and the workforce,” Venisha said.
Currently, Venisha is President of the Residence Hall Association, where she presides over RHA Senate and is the primary representative of the organization.
Venisha has traveled to RHA conferences all over the United States. She has been as far as Fargo, North Dakota and most recently went to Wilmington, North Carolina over fall break.
Venisha has made an impact on USC through her leadership skills and has helped mentor younger students on their way to success. When asked how she feels about her role as a RHA President, she said, “It is a humbling experience to be able to represent all on-campus residents and advocate for their wants and needs in their residence halls.”
Venisha has a bright future ahead of her, we can only imagine the success she will find outside of USC.