Valerie (’16)

Full name: Valerie Kathryn Lanzone (most people on campus call me Val)

Major: BBA (Marketing; Organization & Management) with an English minor

Hometown: Saint Simons Island, GA

Extracurricular Activies: TableTalk, Student Programming Council, Social Enterprise at Goizueta, Goizueta International Network, Alliance for Sexual Assault Prevention, Mortar Board Honor Society, BBA CMC Coach, and BComm TA

Relationship Status: Single!

Greek Affiliation: Alpha Delta Pi (President)

Her Campus Emory (HCE): Describe yourself in 5 words.

Valerie: Sociable, compassionate, eloquent, dedicated, and venturesome.

HCE: What is your hidden talent?

Valerie: I used to draw portraits at home when I had time. A lot of my friends don’t know that about me; I’ve never really showcased it at school. I really enjoyed getting to know the people that I drew, and found it fascinating and challenging to try and capture who a person was. 

HCE: What is your guilty pleasure?

Valerie: I really enjoy superhero movies and TV shows. I’ve seen them all: Marvel, DC, new and old, original and spinoff. I really like Captain America, and I’m watching Heroes now, which isn’t quite superhero focused but still somewhat superhuman.

HCE: If you could have dinner with any famous person, dead or alive, who it would be?

Valerie: Ernest Hemingway. My literary crush for sure. I would love to go to dinner with Hemingway in Venice, and drink Bellinis at Harry’s Bar like a true ex-pat.

HCE: What is your favorite kind of music to listen to, and who are your favorite artists? 

Valerie: I listen to a lot of country music on the radio, but my favorite band is the Avett Brothers—listen to “Ballad of Love and Hate.” Just do it. My go-to song is the somewhat bizarre, but incredibly fun cover of Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” by The Gourds. If you hearing it playing anywhere, I’m probably around.

(You can listen to “Ballad of Love and Hate by the Avett Brothers here!)

HCE: What is one thing you’ve always wanted to learn or get better at?

Valerie: I’ve always wanted to pick up additional languages. I spent fall break down in Nicaragua interviewing members of the Los Robles for a mini-documentary for the Business School. I got to hear their incredible stories through the help of our wonderful translator, but I wish I could have understood them on my own. I am incredibly interested in the stories others have to tell, and there’s so much of the world I have yet to see—so many stories I have yet to hear.

HCE: What advice would you give your younger self?

Valerie: I would tell my younger self to breathe. Not too long ago I was incredibly worried all the time. I was trying to live up to this idea of what I thought I had to be.  Now, I just try to live, experience as much as I can, do the best that I can, and be happy. Instead of trying to do and be everything for everyone all the time, I keep in mind Steinbeck’s quote from East of Eden: “And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” I only wish I’d caught on a little sooner.

HCE: What has been your biggest accomplishment since being at Emory?

Valerie: I am most proud of my involvement in TableTalk—for helping the organization gain momentum on our campus and expand nationally, but more importantly for beginning to institutionalize TT on Emory’s campus and start the conversation in our community. I am so thankful to Ami and Adam for bringing me into this organization that feels like home. I can be absolutely myself with my TableTalk family, and the members of our executive board are some of the most influential people in my life. Everyone sit a CampusCouch at least once! You won’t regret it if you try it. You can find more information about TableTalk here.

HCE: What do you see yourself ideally doing after you graduate?

Valerie: I’m currently working for IBM, doing marketing for their Security business unit’s worldwide team. Long term, I would love to work in brand consulting, particularly verbal identity consulting. I am passionate about building meaningful brands to drive change, and hope to continue to connect individuals and communicate their stories to the world. I am also excited to live in a new city and see where my life takes me beyond Emory. I absolutely love this university, and as much as I will miss school, I know that it’s time to move on.

• emory campus cutie