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Kendrick Ann Marie Sipp

By Jennifer Tanner | Photos by Bobby Lacey

Kendrick Sipp is a small-town girl with big dreams. She plans to travel the world, live life to its fullest, and look back on her life with no regrets.

As a student, she was fully engaged in campus life. A leader in many organizations and honors societies, Sipp said her best moments were spent volunteering alongside with her Kappa Delta sorority sisters. As the fundraising chair for the Gamma Mu chapter, she coordinated the 2010 Prevent Child Abuse America Shamrock Flag Football Tournament, which generated $21,596 — the most raised by any VSU organization. She and her sisters claimed the Greek Excellence Philanthropy Award and were featured on the evening news of both local network affiliates, WALB and WCTV.

The May 2010 graduate majored in communication arts and minored in international studies, emphasizing Chinese language and culture. Sipp said public relations is the best fit for her skills and personality, but Chinese courses — taught by Fulbright scholars who melded language and culture into the curriculum — were definitely her favorite.
Although she chose Valdosta State because of its comfortable size and close proximity to home, the Bainbridge, Ga., native's university career led her to the distant Greek Isles and the vast terrain of China. Sipp said climbing the Great Wall was one of the highlights of her life, but she will always remember fishing and swimming in the pond behind her parent's home and spending quality time with family.

"My parents have always been my biggest supporters," said Sipp, who likes to relax when she has free time. "They, along with my teachers, have always been the people I look up to most because they set such a positive example for me."

Positive influences and parental support continue to drive the passionate volunteer and creative communicator as she searches for her first career opportunity. For now, she may not know what her next step will be, but she is certain that no matter how far away life's journey may lead, she will always remember the path back home.

Get to know Kendrick Sipp...

GPA: 3.4
Graduation: May 2010
Degree Objective: Speech Communication with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in International Studies with an emphasis in Chinese language and culture

Hometown: Bainbridge, Ga.
High school: Bainbridge High School

Achievements and activities:
   HOPE Scholarship
   Alpha Lambda Delta Freshman Honor Society
   Freshman Year Experience
   Dean’s List
   Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society
       -Treasurer
   Public Relations Student Society of America
   Who’s Who Among College Students
   Kappa Delta Sorority
       -Vice President Public Relations
       -SET Leader
       -Shamrock Fundraising Chair
   USG Summer Study in China

I chose to attend VSU because … I loved the campus and the size. I didn’t want to be overwhelmed by a bigger school and VSU was close to home.

My favorite things to do on campus are … Since I live off campus, I am usually only on campus for classes, but I’ve been very active in Kappa Delta, so I am also on campus quite a bit which is always fun.

My favorite place to study is … either in my room or in the library, which ever is quieter.
Something unique about me is … that I don’t eat cheese

The one VSU experience I will always remember is … living in the dorm.

I chose my major/career because … It was the best fit for my personality. I liked the laid-back classroom environment of the communication department, and I would like to work in public relations one day.

If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it … one of my grandparents.

The most exciting/interesting thing I’ve done is … This would definitely be my trips abroad. Some of the most exciting would have to be climbing the Great Wall of China, visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Greek Isles.

My favorite professor was … Dr. Patterson in the communication department. She was also my advisor. I think what I learned in her classes will be most beneficial to my career and she did a great job relating everything we learned to how we might encounter it in the real world.

My favorite class was … Chinese. I had three professors who were all Fulbright teachers from China and so I was able to learn Chinese from three different perspectives. The classes were also small and very hands on which made them more interesting.

If I knew I could not fail, I would … play the lottery.

The three words that best describe me are … Creative, optimistic and independent.

The thing that I will miss the most about college is … Kappa Delta, because it has really been my life for the past four years and one of my best college experiences.