Victoria Riddle
My name is Victoria Riddle and I am a senior at the University of South Carolina. As traditional Southern parents, my mom and dad decided to make Victoria my middle name, but I forgive them because Victoria Mary does not flow as well as Mary Victoria. Throughout the past four years, I have had the privilege of learning about so many other people as well as myself and I am excited to share my experiences with you through this E-Portfolio because I am so proud to wear the garnet and black. I am from Lexington, SC, which is just across the bridge. I had a phase where I wanted to leave South Carolina at the beginning of my high school career but as I drew closer to choosing a college I realized that in my heart I have always been a Gamecock. I went into my time at USC not aware of what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by all of the enriching experiences I have had the opportunity to complete. I decided to pursue Graduation with Leadership Distinction as I saw fellow students and friends completing the program last school year. I have had professional work experience my last 2 years in college and my ideals lined up with the Professional & Civic Engagement Pathway. I was excited to complete the program, because I have been so busy in school that I have not set aside the time to reflect on my experiences, both on campus as an officer in two organizations as well as personal growth and applying the tools I have attained towards my future goals.
About Me
My professional work experience has been as an Operations Support Specialist part-time at Clark’s Termite & Pest Control. There, I primarily do IT related work. I am a Biology Major, so I went into my job not expecting to personally relate to the field. I am so glad that I was wrong in my assumption; I have learned so much about working with people and pursuing a dedicated work ethic. Living a dual life of working and being a student has been challenging, but I have never been the type of person to shy away from a challenge. My future goals are indicative of a challenge, as I want to take a gap year and then apply for Physician Assistant School. My main motivation for pursuing a career within the healthcare field would be my twin sister, Savannah. She is severely autistic and I believe that having her in my life is both a blessing and a privilege, and I want to work with families and help their loved ones with not only autism but other neurological disorders. This compassion to help others led me to develop my first key insight, entitled “Be Compassionate”. Some of the challenges I have faced have been difficult and I have not always succeeded in my endeavors. I am grateful to learn from unpleasant experiences and take away the positives rather than the negatives, which I expanded upon in my second key insight entitled “Immunity for Life”. My third insight is indicative of my personal narrative as a Carolina student wanting to make a difference and is entitled “Leaving a Legacy is Attainable”. I have explored my Biology major and my Medical Humanities minor and have been able to connect my academic learning into practical learning through my within and beyond the classroom experiences. Integrating my knowledge from my Medical Humanities minor with my career goals as a PA led me to my Leadership section topic entitled "Emphasizing Ethics in Medicine", which includes introducing ethics training for healthcare professionals in the Columbia area.
In my spare time, I enjoy playing with my dog Toby or reading a book (preferably at the beach). Otherwise, I am more than likely at a Carolina sporting event. Below you will find a slideshow of photos that chronicle my personal experiences over the past four years. To view a description of the event, please click on each photo. I am sad to close the chapter of my undergraduate college career, but I know that opening new opportunities will be just as rewarding as my time at Carolina, if not more. As this chapter of my life closes, a quote by John F. Kennedy comes to mind: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” This process, as daunting as it may have seemed in the beginning, has easily become one of my favorite memories at Carolina. My E-Portfolio is a reflection of the knowledge that I have learned about other people, myself, and in my classes and how it has helped me to better understand what I want to accomplish in my future. Thank you for taking the time to let me share my experiences at Carolina with you, and most importantly: Go Gamecocks!
