This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Vanderbilt chapter.
Name: Rachel “RPelly” Pellegrino
Hometown: Chicago (the actual city), IL
Majors: Biology and Psychology (pre-med)
Campus Involvement: VSG Deputy Director of Public Relations, Vandy Red Cross Recruitment Co-Chair, Next Steps Ambassadore, Volunteer for the VUMC Emergency Department, Recruitment Information Manager for Alpha Delta Pi, Undergraduate Researcher, AWB, AED
How did you first get involved with VSG?
I definitely joined VSG my freshman year because I heard we would get a free Comfort Colors shirt, which became an immediate obsession of mine when I first moved here. I applied for the Gillette 6 floor rep position because I wanted to be super involved right off the bat. I knew that being in student government would give me a voice in campus matters, and that’s something that is really important to me. I met some of my closest friends through being a floor rep. The CLC meetings (Commons Leadership Council) were always a highlight of the week. Being on VSG helped me really integrate into the campus community. I ended up loving it so much, I applied to do it again this year! I’m currently serving as the Deputy Director of Public Relations, which is just a really long way of saying that I’m the PR person. I’m a member of cabinet and help run the PR team!
I know you’re Pre-Med, do you want to be a doctor?
I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, ever since I can remember. The medical field fascinates me because it’s so complex and constantly changing. I absolutely love working in hospitals and being around medicine, so I volunteer, shadow and work in a research lab here at Vandy – I just can’t get enough of it. Last summer, I was beyond fortunate to have the opportunity to intern at St. Jude’s in Memphis, which was a dream come true. Pediatrics is definitely a tough field because the kids are so young, but that means they have their whole life ahead of them when they come to get treatment. The fact that these doctors can give a kid another chance at their childhood is the most amazing thing. One of the highlights of my summer was that I got to regularly shadow surgeries. I think that being a surgeon would be the greatest job in the world (and I promise I’m not saying that just because I’m addicted to Grey’s Anatomy).
What do you love most about Nashville?
The music, the food, the people. What is there not to love?!
What is your favorite thing about Vanderbilt?
I love tailgates and basketball games – basically anything that gives me an excuse to wear a vandy face tattoo. I’m also a huge fan of all the terrible puns around campus. Oh, and Bamboo Bistro because I eat there at least once a day. Honestly, I love Vandy so much that it’s hard to pick a favorite thing. But if I have to pick just one, I’d probably have to say that my friends are my favorite thing about school.