Leader, Mentor, Graduate: Jenna Hodges '26 Reflects on Her Queens Experience
For Jenna Hodges ’26, a professional writing and rhetoric major from Fayetteville, North Carolina, graduating early seemed like the right choice for her. An early college student who arrived on campus with a head start, Hodges was on track to graduate at just 19 years old.
However, she soon realized that she wouldn’t fully be able to appreciate the “Queens Experience” without pausing to appreciate the moments of reflection she experienced when she slowed down. Now a graduating senior with a double minor in international studies and legal studies, Hodges reflects on a three-year journey she describes as nothing short of “transformative.”
Setting Her Own Pace
“I realized that while I could have finished in two years, I would have missed out on the opportunities that actually shaped me,” she explains. By choosing to stay for a third year, Hodges transformed from a fast-tracked student into a campus leader. She served as president of the Pre-Law Association and Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science honor society, and was an integral part of the university’s Model NATO team.
Maggie Commins, Ph.D., Shelton Professor of Political Science, has witnessed this evolution firsthand. “Jenna is truly remarkable,” said Commins. “Her transformation into a poised, effective leader on campus has been a joy to watch. She takes every opportunity available, even making some new ones for herself along the way.”
Diplomacy and Adventure Abroad
One of those pivotal opportunities was a study abroad trip to Peru led by Commins and Lucia Galleno, Ph.D., professor of Spanish world languages. For two weeks, Hodges and her peers traveled the country, enjoying sights like Machu Picchu, the Amazon Rainforest, and the coastal desert.
“It was a ‘you only live once’ experience,” Hodges recalls. “We were up at 4 a.m., taking domestic flights and enduring the significant elevation gain as we hiked together. I bonded with people whose circles might never have crossed mine otherwise.”
That spirit of collaboration followed her to Washington, D.C., for the Model NATO simulation. As a head delegate representing Norway on the North Atlantic Council, Hodges practiced high-stakes diplomacy and networking.
“Jenna was an excellent diplomat,” Commins notes. “She represented Norway’s interests ably while working effectively with other delegates on thorny international issues. She was endlessly supportive of her team, encouraging everyone to be their best.”
For the past two years, Hodges’ impact has extended into the Center for Student Success, where she progressed from a student in the composition theory practicum to a lead tutor in the Writing Center. In this role, she has moved beyond simply reviewing papers to managing administrative outreach and helping her peers.
Working alongside mentors like Jen Daniel, Ph.D., director of learning and writing support services, and Emily Iknayan, academic support coordinator, Hodges has come to view the Center as an important space for brainstorming, research, and high-level communication.
“The thing I enjoy most is collaborating on ideas and bringing in perspectives I hadn’t thought of,” Hodges says. “In the center, no one person knows more than the other. It is truly an environment of community and encouragement.”
A Friend and Mentor
Hodges’ impact is perhaps felt most deeply by the peers she mentored. Fatoumata Soumare ’27, a younger classmate and Model NATO partner, found Hodges’ authenticity to be a guiding light.
“Her realness made me feel less overwhelmed because it reminded me that we were all going through it together,” Soumare shares. “Watching her navigate the LSAT and law school applications while being honest about her fears made her journey feel real. I already know who I am calling when I need a lawyer!”
The Next Chapter: Elon Law
Though Hodges once dreamed of becoming an orthodontist, her time at Queens made her realize her true calling. This fall, she is headed to Elon University School of Law in Greensboro to begin her legal career studies.
“I’m doing ‘Queens-Elon Round Two’ in a sense,” she jokes, referring to the recent announcement of the institutional merger.
As she prepares for her time in Greensboro, Hodges offers a piece of advice to younger, prospective students. “Sometimes not having a plan is okay,” she said. “Not having a plan helps you see the whole picture instead of ignoring the whole world around you in favor of sticking to your timeline. That’s how you find the plan you’re actually supposed to be on.”
She concludes, “Queens taught me the importance of slowing down. What would life be if I’m just jumping from thing to thing with nothing to say for it except that I accomplished it?”