Happy Wednesday, Hounds! This week on Highlighting Hounds, we are featuring Madeline Snow ’26! Over the course of her college career, Madeline has taken on multiple leadership roles, including serving as a Residential Assistant, Orientation Leader, and member of the Campus Activities Board executive team. She has also worked as a COMPASS facilitator and guided first-year students through their transition to college life, as well as an Admission Ambassador and helped to shape the experiences of prospective students. Madeline’s passion for helping others and creating inclusive environments has extended beyond campus, as seen in her study abroad experience in Spain and her upcoming teaching internship in Argentina. Through each role, Madeline has not only impacted the Assumption community but has also found clarity in her career aspirations, including pursuing a master’s degree in higher education. Read more to learn about her experiences and what advice she has to offer!
Give a brief overview of your campus involvement and impact on the Assumption community.
I am actively involved in various departments across campus, contributing to a range of programs and initiatives. I have been a Residential Assistant for the past two years, and next year, I will take on the role of Head Residential Assistant. As a sophomore, I worked as an Orientation Leader for both summer and fall sessions, and this past year, I worked as an Orientation Leader executive. I am also a member of the Campus Activities Board executive team. Through this, I run our g-board meetings and oversee late night programming. For the past two years, I have served as a COMPASS facilitator where I co-facilitate a class for first-years to help them adjust to college.
I am also an Admission Ambassador for the Admissions House so I give tours to prospective families as well as help run our events such as Open House and Accept Assumption. Along with this, I am a study abroad ambassador, in which I help raise awareness about Assumption’s study abroad program and share my own experiences to inform interested students. Additionally, I work as a marketing intern for Assumption Hospitality, where I manage the Instagram account and create media content for events.
What inspired you to become so involved, and how did you obtain these positions?
Campus Activities Board was my first introduction to involvement on campus. I instantly fell in love with planning events and working as a part of a group to contribute to the campus. This is where I met many of my first friends and developed relationships with the advisor Cassie Harvey, as well as the executive team that encouraged me to get involved elsewhere on campus since I loved it so much. I was a commuter at this time so I was searching for my place on campus and the weekly CAB meetings became my second home where I could meet people and be involved. I loved working events and seeing things I planned out successfully executed. At the time Cassie Harvey was also in charge of the Orientation program and encouraged me to apply. I quickly fell in love with Orientation and continued my involvement in it for the next two years. Both of these allowed me to form connections with people in different parts of campus and try out different clubs and on-campus jobs since I loved being involved so much.
How did your role as an Orientation Leader influence your perspective on the first-year student experience? What do you think is most important for new students to feel when they come to campus?
I was very nervous during my own Orientation experience but I remember my Orientation Leaders being very approachable and memorable. Because of this, I wanted to make my own positive contribution to future hounds by helping them to ease into their college experience. As an Orientation Leader, I gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and excitement first-year students face when transitioning to college. This experience taught me the importance of creating an inclusive, welcoming environment where new students feel supported and valued. The most important thing for new students to feel when they come to campus is a sense of belonging, as it helps them build confidence, form connections, and establish a foundation for academic and personal success.
As a COMPASS facilitator, what are some key lessons you’ve learned from this role about supporting students through their transition to college life, and how have these lessons shaped your approach to leadership and mentoring in other areas?
As a COMPASS facilitator, I’ve learned that supporting students through their transition requires patience, empathy, and a focus on building trust. Many students face challenges with time management, adapting to independence, and forming connections, so creating an environment where they feel safe to ask questions and seek guidance is essential. These lessons have shaped my leadership and mentoring approach by emphasizing active listening, individualized support, and fostering a sense of belonging. In other roles, I strive to lead with compassion and adaptability, ensuring that every individual feels empowered to grow and succeed.
What inspired you to become involved in CAB? What did you learn from this experience?
I have a strong passion for programming so CAB allowed me to plan and execute events in which I was able to use my creativity and logical brain to bring life to an event. I enjoy working with a team to build out an idea and I find pride in seeing others enjoy something I was able to guide into existence. CAB brings out a strong sense of community and friendship through its executive team and G-Board members in which everyone is able to be heard and encouraged to grow themselves. Through CAB, I have found a love for programming which has encouraged me to want to pursue a career in higher education after graduation.
What are your career goals? How will this internship help you reach those goals?
Through my involvement at Assumption, I have grown to love working with this population and working to promote a fun and inclusive environment for all. Because I was able to find this passion, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in higher education. As well as learning about myself through my involvements, I am also an Elementary Education Major and I love working in the classroom with children. Upon my start at Assumption I had plans to graduate and get a job in teaching. I still thoroughly enjoy teaching, but my career trajectory has changed since Assumption allowed me to explore different opportunities. I am still very much engaged in my education courses and have learned a lot about myself through my field work in Worcester classrooms. My love for teaching has not changed even though my career path has. I still try to get involved in as many teaching opportunities as I am able to through volunteering. When I went abroad to Spain for a semester as a sophomore, I volunteered at an English school to help students with their English language skills. I loved this experience and it influenced me to apply for Assumption’s summer teaching internship in Argentina. Through this program, I will be teaching at a school in Buenos Aires for two weeks in June to help students build their English abilities.
What are your key takeaways from your experience?
Key takeaways from these experiences include the importance of cultivating empathy, adaptability, and effective communication when working with others. I’ve learned that meeting people where they are, understanding their unique needs, and providing tailored support fosters growth and confidence. Building a sense of community and belonging is vital for creating an environment where individuals feel valued and supported. Additionally, these experiences have reinforced the value of proactive leadership, patience, and the power of small actions, like offering encouragement or a listening ear, in making a significant impact on someone’s journey.
Will you continue your education? If so, what are the key factors that will influence your decision on where to continue your education?
I have wanted to be a teacher since I was very little, but Assumption opened my eyes to different possibilities. I did not have experience with programming before my time at Assumption, but through Campus Activities Board, Res Life, and Orientation, I learned to love working in a campus setting. I plan to graduate Assumption with my education degree and then attend a master’s program to get a degree in higher education.
Reflecting on your time at college so far, what’s one experience that’s had the most profound impact on your personal or professional growth?
The most impactful experience I had at my time in college so far was trying intramural Battleship. Going into college, I had expectations that exceeded anything imaginable. I constantly pushed myself to be the best and at times, I sacrificed my own sanity to satisfy the perfectionist side of me. But doing intramural Battleship taught me that life is more than what I put in front of myself. I realized that taking a step back from all the stressful things is not only important, but essential for happiness. I saw that life truly wasn’t as serious as I made it out to be, and that maybe an innocent laugh once in a while wouldn’t be so bad. So ever since the day I got into that tiny canoe in the pool, I’ve begun to appreciate the little things in life so much more, and it’s something I’ll take with me forever.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your leadership roles, or any lessons you wish you had learned sooner?
No, there isn’t a single thing I wish I had done differently or had learned sooner. Everything I experienced in the time that I experienced them has made me who I am today, and I don’t regret a thing. Did everything in my time at college go the way that I thought they would? Absolutely not. But if they had, I wouldn’t have learned the things I know now. Making the mistakes that I made in my time here at Assumption was quintessential to my development and I’m extremely thankful for it. I’ve made mistakes, and I’ve screwed up, and when that happened, I thought it was the end of the world. But I didn’t let it be the end of the world, and for that, I’m proud of myself. I learned how to persevere and how to advocate for myself. And with that, I think I’ve become a stronger person. So, as grateful as I am for all the lessons I learned in the past few years, I’m equally as grateful for when I learned them. It shaped me to be who I am right now, and I look forward to learn more.
How has your study abroad experience in Spain and your upcoming internship in Argentina shaped your approach to both education and communication, especially in diverse environments?
I have a strong love for teaching and working with students of all ages. While in Spain, I taught English classes to adults. This was very eye opening to me because it showed me that it does not matter the age, but my passion for helping others is transferable. As well as teaching English language skills, I taught my students about the culture of the United States and provided them with my own experiences. Teaching is not only about content, but about experiences and the impact you make on students. I am an Elementary Education major and so most of my knowledge and experience is with elementary students, but this taught me that learning happens at all stages of life and helping others is the root of what makes teaching so special. Because I love teaching so much through my volunteering in Spain, it encouraged me to want to carry on teaching language and culture to students in Argentina this upcoming summer as well. I love working in diverse settings because I learn just as much as the students do and it is a special bond as we grow together.
If you are interested in being featured on Highlighting Hounds or know of any students who would be a strong candidate, please email us at careerdevelopment@assumption.edu!
