Erica Grabenstein is a junior who is from Collegeville, Pennsylvania. She is a Marketing major with hopes to receive a job in marketing research and wants to work towards her Master’s degree after college, she also would like to adopt a lot of dogs. The outstanding marching band and the high quality of the Eberly College of Business is what influenced Erica to attend IUP—“I fell in love with IUP because from the moment I first stepped foot on campus I felt like I belonged. The students are amazing and the professors truly care about us [students].”
Erica is actively involved on campus where she is captain of the IUP Colorguard, a Sister of Delta Phi Epsilon, a member of Phi Gamma Nu which is a business fraternity, and also works as a Pepsi Intern for the Aramark marketing office. Erica loves being a Pepsi Intern because she gets to promote IUP dining while learning real world marketing skills, plan events, and help run the social media sites. It is the perfect first step for her to pursue her dreams! Within PGN and DPE she has gained many amazing friends, because she lives 5 hours away IUP has acted as her “home away from home.” Erica said, “Ever since I set my eyes on IUP and I was a rookie in the color guard I dreamed of being a section leader. Now, my dream has come true and I feel blessed to be an IUP marching band section leader. It is amazing to come into practice remembering how much I dreamed of performing with IUP and how much it inspired me and now I get to inspire high school students.”
When asked who her biggest influence is Erica said, “My biggest influence is my dad because he’s worked so hard for everything that he has in life. He has an amazing work ethic as well as being an amazing leader. He’s funny, smart, talented, and respected by everyone. My dad automatically captures the attention of everyone in the room and I hope that I can grow to be an amazing leader like him someday.” Her favorite quote is by an unknown author, “Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must, but take the step.”
In Erica’s free time, she enjoys reading and obsessing over her favorite show Grey’s Anatomy. Although has visited Bermuda and Canada, she will be exploring India in January with her fellow classmates! She is very excited for this opportunity! Some people refer to Erica by her real name, while her marching band friends call her ‘Africa’ because during freshman year she got called it by accident and since then it just stuck—many of the new members believe that this is her real name (hilarious)!
Erica had a few words for IUP students: “To my fellow students: never give up, it may seem impossible now but with hard work and perseverance anything is possible. The most important part is to believe in yourself.”
Everyone meet Miss Erica Grabenstein! Go check her out during the home halftime performances at the IUP football games!