This week’s HerCampus Campus Celebrity is Mackenzie Lee, one of Yale’s busiest, talented, and exciting undergraduates. Always glowing with optimism and a bright smile, Mac inspires everyone who meets her. Despite her involvement in such a diverse array of student groups, Mac took a break to sit down with us and share some stories from her time at Yale so far. From being the CFO for Kappa Alpha Theta to tearing up the dance floor at Rhythmic Blue performances, Mac is always busy being a leader on campus. Read below to find out more!
Name: Mackenzie Lee
College and Year: Saybrook ‘16
Major: Global Affairs
Rapidfire
TV show you’re most addicted to: House of Cards
Guilty Pleasure Food: Peanut butter
Late night snack: Greek yogurt
Best Yale tradition: RB Harvard-Yale Showcase (aka dance battle against Harvard’s hip hop group)
Best music to dance to: TSwift
Favorite dancer: Misty Copeland
All-time favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption
HC: Which student groups are you involved with on campus?
Mac: At Yale, I am a Yale Tour Guide, coxswain on the Men’s Heavyweight Crew Team, CFO of Yale’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, a member of Rhythmic Blue, Yale’s only hip-hop and contemporary dance group, and a translator for the Law School.
HC: What inspired you to first pursue dancing?
Mac: I started doing ballet when I was three years old but decided to leave the intensely structured dance company when I became a sophomore in high school. I got more into mixed styles (like contemporary and hip- hop) during junior and senior year of high school, and when I came to Yale, I pretty much auditioned for all of the dance groups!
HC: Why did you choose RB out of all the dance groups?
Mac: Having come from a technical dance background with little exposure to hip hop, I was absolutely shocked when I got in [to RB]! I realized quickly that it would not be feasible to dance in three groups at once and ultimately decided to stick with RB. RB has allowed me to perform contemporary pieces while also learning so much from dancers with backgrounds in hip hop. We’re also really tight as a crew…the late night rehearsals make for especially good bonding!
HC: So, what then appealed to you about auditioning to become a Tour Guide?
Mac: Over spring break of my junior year in high school, I went on a whirlwind college visit trip and visited 15 schools on the east coast in just five days. I distinctly remember how my Yale campus tour distinguished the school from all the others and left me with a positive first impression. When I heard about the Tour Guide position, I immediately wanted to be someone who left visitors with an equally positive impression of Yale that I had had on my first campus visit.
HC: Being a Tour Guide is another huge time commitment! Is it easy to manage with RB?
Mac: Despite that fact that a tour consists of approximately 1.5 hours of me talking at people, I find it can be a very humbling job. Visitors are always amazed to see the campus and to hear stories about the students and resources available at Yale. It always reminds me how fortunate I am to be a student here.
HC: Have you had any funny experiences with Tour groups?
Mac: Over fall break a few weeks ago, I gave a tour to a group of 7th grade girls from a charter school in Brooklyn. They really liked that I was in a hip-hop dance group and insisted that we do all kinds of sassy things around campus; we did the Nae Nae in front of Sterling and the Cat Daddy next to the Gutenberg Bible. At the end of the tour, the girls all clumped together and did the fiercest catwalk toward me while chanting, “She grown, she strong, she did it on her own!” It was awesome.
HC: Tell us more about your experience in Theta and your role as CFO.
Mac: I went through the recruitment process with many of my Saybrook girlfriends, and I ended up in a different sorority than pretty much all of them. While that was a bit daunting at first, I have made great friendships through Theta with women that I probably would never have met otherwise. I decided to get more involved in the chapter last year by becoming CFO and re-running for the position this coming calendar year. I have gained practical skills managing a budget and have had the opportunity to interact with all of the members of the chapter, so it’s definitely been a win-win!
HC: You also mentioned that you’re a coxswain for the men’s crew team? What is it like?
Mac: Coxing for the heavies wasn’t a choice per se – they were the only team looking for coxswains at the time! Essentially, I have a good family friend who coxed at Boston College and always encouraged me to try it out in college. I also met a rower my first night at Yale who encouraged me to try it out. After watching practices and meeting the coaches and guys, I decided to give it a shot!
When I was first learning, the guys were tough at times, but always helpful. Being on the team has definitely made me much “bro-y”…I guess that just what happens when you spend 24 hours a week training with +6ft, physically fit, accomplished male rowers. Now that I’ve nailed the basics, like steering straight and directing drills, I’m more comfortable with having a more authoritative and defined presence in the boat. Off the water, the guys really have become big brothers to me.
HC: What or who has been your biggest influence in life?
My paternal grandfather, who passed away just before Thanksgiving last year, has been a huge source of influence in my life. He emigrated from China in his 20s, and though he did not even finish high school, he had a profound social impact on his community. He founded a bank and self-service supermarket that served the needs of Los Angeles’ Chinese American community, which often faced significant discrimination at the time. At his memorial service, I was amazed by the numerous stories told of my grandfather’s empathy, natural business acumen, kindness, and altruism.
Thinking about his story and accomplishments keeps in perspective the opportunities that I have been afforded in my life and causes me to think about what impact I want to have on the world and on the people around me.
HC: Any secret talents? Or something that most people don’t know about you?
Freshman year, I choreographed a full dance routine to a Gangnam Style/Too Legit mash-up for my intro micro/macro TA and a group of his classmates for an SOM talent show. I also found out that my TA was a competitive male cheerleader during undergrad!
HC: What is your favorite thing about Yale? Why did you choose Yale?
Probably a cliché, but I am constantly impressed by the vibrancy and diversity of Yale’s student body. People come from all over the place not only geographically, but also in terms of academic pursuits, extracurricular interests, religious, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds. People are genuinely excited about what they’re doing inside and outside of the classroom. It makes Yale such an exciting place to live and learn.