From campus leadership to being an entrepreneur, Sydni Holmes does it all. She is a graduating senior with a major in Mass Media Arts. Sydni is an orientation guide at CAU, the social media liaison for the senior class council, President of Lambda Pi Eta National Honor Society, former vice president of Her Campus CAU, and new member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. She also owns her own rebranding business, Squid Ink Designs. Her Campus sat down with this Sydni Holmes, to get the scoop on how she manages juggle everything so flawlessly.
HC: How would you define yourself?
SH: I always say I’m ambitious, benevolent, very bubbly. I think overall, I’m just an overachiever, first and foremost. I always aim high for everything. I’m always giving. That’s one of my biggest things, I always give back.
HC: What are you passionate about?
SH: Music! If you know me, you know I have my headphones in 24/7. Music is literally life. It tells you stories and how you’re feeling. Anything that I have to do with, has to do with music. If I wanna give advice, I always look up a song to explain it. So, that has to be the thing that I’m most passionate about and the second thing would have to be family. I’m a big family person and I have a huge family. Half of my family is revolved around music, so those two things are at the top of my list.
HC: So, being that you’re very involved on campus, you know and talk to a lot of people. What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
SH: I don’t know because I feel like I’m an open book on campus. Anything that people ask, I tell them for the most part. But I think people would be surprised to know that I never learned how to ride a bike. Since the age of 3, my dad put me on motorcycles which is not the same thing as riding a bike. So, I think people would be surprised to know that.
HC: So, I know your probate happened recently. How did it feel to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated?
SH: Girl! I still feel like regular Sydni. I never wanted to change and be “Sydni the AKA.” I wanted to be Sydni the student, graphic designer, and business woman who is also an AKA. To become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated has been my dream since before I was even thought of. My mother dreamed this and she is also a member. She never pressured me at all. All of my family prayed for me to go through with what I wanted to do. I found myself aligned with the same core values that Alpha Kappa Alphas has. Becoming a member is a dream come true. It’s an awesome feeling having your dream come to fruition. It’s kind of one of my greatest accomplishments.It’s the best thing ever. But I never want to be reduced to “Sydni the AKA” at the end of the day.
HC: You’re a graduating senior now, so how has Clark Atlanta University shaped who you are today?
SH: For the most part, I’ve always been outspoken. But, while being here, I’ve realized so much about myself and I’ve gotten a lot more outspoken with family too. I think CAU gave me more of a backbone in terms of culture. I come from a mixed background and a lot of people in my family feel like you have to stick to one frame of mind. At CAU, it’s not like that, you can expand your knowledge. I think going to an HBCU, you can think about yourself, what’s impacting your world, and how you can impact your world without having to be in a box.
HC: You’re also the president of WSTU Radio station. What does being the president of WSTU Radio mean to you?
SH: I tried out to get my own show, as a freshman, on WSTU and was shot down because I wasn’t as outspoken. I was more laidback and reserved. Then sophomore year, I was just becoming more active in the organization. I actually designed the new logo when they were revamping the organization. I felt like I was making some way in the organization, but it still wasn’t enough. I wanted to keep the legacy going. I felt like we could rebrand and also do so much more. Now that I’m president, my ideas from my freshman, sophomore and junior years are actually happening. I think I’m doing a good job and we were able to bring in so many opportunities for the people involved. People are actually interviewing artists and going to events. They’re able to do things that they would actually be doing in the real world. It means so much to me because I’m continuing the legacy of what a student ran organization is.
HC: You’ve held and still hold many leadership positions on campus, which means people look up to you. How do you feel you inspire others?
SH: Just being in a position at all, people look up to you. When I came to CAU, I talked to people who were in positions because they were involved on campus and still handling their academics. People want to know that you can handle both and that you have something of substance. So, since I’ve been taking my place in these positions, I think people are starting to look up to me and value what I say.
HC: What are your career plans for the future?
SH: I get so excited talking about this! I actually just completed my application for grad school at SCAD. I’m pursuing my masters in graphic design so I can take my business to higher levels. Ultimately, when I came to CAU, I wanted to be a radio personality. I don’t want to be one of those people who never end up on the radio. So, I want to be a graphic designer for a radio station because I feel like you’re in there as long as you get your foot in the door. After I get on the radio, I want to put on one of those big concerts like Summer Jam or Made In America for Philly where people can have fun and enjoy themselves!