Student Stories
Eleanor Williamson
Class of 2024
Major: Communications
For Eleanor Williamson ’24, the decision to attend Queens was not a difficult one. After an unexpected opportunity to visit the university while visiting her aunt in Greensboro during her junior year in high school, Williamson was immediately sold on the beauty of the intimate campus located in one of the nation’s fastest growing metropolitan areas. “I like the idea of being in a bigger city with people from all walks of life,” she said.
Born and raised in the small town of Warsaw, Indiana, Williamson knew she wanted to branch out. Not only was she eager to experience more variety; Williamson had a myriad of questions surrounding the ideas she had been taught about religion. “Growing up, I went to church and I grappled with a lot of deeply, profound questions that they couldn’t answer for me.”
When she arrived at Queens, Williamson soon realized that her questions had answers. “I came into Queens as an International Studies major and was required to take a global religion class with Dr. Henderson. She actually loved listening to my questions and helping me find answers or at least talk me through them,” she said, “And discovering my own personal answer was really satisfying.”
Settling in on a more practical way to utilize her skills, Williamson switched her major to Communications with a minor in Philosophy and Religion. “I absolutely love discussion-based classes because I can just ask questions that segue into different ideas and topics,” she said.
Williamson has fully embraced life as a Queens student by diving into the abundance of opportunities Queens has to offer. The Davies Fellow serves as the President of C.U.B. and UNICEF, Social and Honor Chair of Phi Mu Gamma Gamma, and Assistant VP of Recruitment. “I love that I get to have so many activities and experiences at Queens and think it’s really special that I know someone in every department.”
When reflecting on her Queens experience, Williamson expresses gratitude for the scholarship support the University offered. “Having the scholarships has left me feeling stress-free about my finances and allows me to fully enjoy my experiences at Queens.”
While it may be too early to determine what life looks like after Queens, Williamson remains open to exploring the possibilities. Last summer, she had the opportunity to intern at a non-profit where she was able to aid people in financial crisis by taking their applications, helping them sort out the small details that may seem simple but can cause stress, and lending a listening ear to their stories. In the meantime, she’s hopeful that she’ll end up with an abundance of experiences before settling on a final destination. “I’m looking forward to learning about who I am and who I’m going to become. I can’t wait to meet her. It will be a journey that I’m very excited take.”