Student Spotlight: Carrie Mattingly

SGA President Today, State Senator Tomorrow

From the depths of a country painted another color, often described as “just up the street,” current UofL Student Government Association President Carrie Mattingly came to us from a class full of big-blue-bound at Lexington Christian Academy, in Lexington, Ky.
“Just about everyone I knew was going to UK. And I mean everyone, all my friends from high school.” 
Seeking something different, and ready to "get out, and explore a little bit," Carrie was very interested in continuing her education out-of-state. As a Governors Scholar with an in-state scholarship, Carrie still decided to visit UofL.

“I didn’t know one person at UofL," Carrie remembers, but when the Executive Director of Admissions personally called Carrie to discuss potential scholarships, after she didn’t receive the scholarship of her choice (McConnell scholar), which originally attracted her to UofL, Carrie made notice of this foreign, urban school in Louisville.

“UofL really had that personal touch that I didn’t get from other schools.”

The rest was history. Carrie accepted the Central KY Alumni Scholarship as an incoming freshman, and has been a Trustee scholar during her career at UofL, studying political science and double majoring in economics, with a minor in Sociology.

“I went from not knowing anybody, to feeling like I couldn’t cross campus without seeing so many people I knew.”

“I didn’t know anyone when I moved to UofL, so I went through sorority recruitment and met a lot of friends, which led me to being very involved [on campus.]” 
No one in Carrie’s family has ever been greek, so she was the first to venture into the greek world and become a Kappa Delta at Louisville.

“I went from not knowing anybody, to feeling like I couldn’t cross campus without seeing so many people I knew.” 
As a freshman, she lived on-campus in Community Park, but now resides in the popular, epi-center of campus activity: Cardinal Towne. “It’s pretty nice to live right above Jimmy John’s, Qdoba...” she laughed. Carrie has become the poster child for campus involvement, boasting a broad range of memberships, chairs, and on and off campus work experience.

Resume Rundown

Reach Ambassador, CAPs leader, Honors Program, Honor's 101 teaching assistant, RA for Governor’s Scholar Program, GSP Recruiter, intern in John Yarmuth’s office, President of the Freshmen Arts & Sciences Council, Task Force Freshman to the Academic Vice President, A&S Senator, Academic Vice-President, and currently SGA President.

Academic Opportunuties

While Carrie keeps very busy, holding offices and interning in Congressman John Yarmuth’s office in downtown Louisville, where she was the youngest intern, her studies as an honors student in political science and economics are her top priority. A true student with a deep desire to learn from some of the university's most interesting professors, it was difficult for Carrie to put her finger on her "favorite" teacher.  
“Dr. Farrier … she is fascinating. She makes you work really really hard, but she knows so much. I just enjoy hearing her perspective on things.”
Carrie fondly recalled when MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" came to UofL her freshman year, where Dr. Farrierappeared on the show.

"I thought, how cool, one of my professors is being interviewed on national TV." Like many of her professors at UofL, Carrie notes Dr. Ferrier is "one who you can just walk into her office to talk, ask her for a letter of recommendation... and she will say 'when do you need it.'  She's wonderful.”

It's Great To Be A Louisville Cardinal

"Just the pride that I have for my school... I love UofL for so many reasons."

When asked to pinpoint her favorite thing about being a Cardinal, Carrie didn't hesitate a second.

"Having personal relationships with my faculty members, and having so many people personally interested not only in me as a student, but as a person. Coming into such a large, state university, I didn’t expect that.”

"[UofL] President Ramsey knows so many students by their first name. 
President Ramsey came right up to the student section after we won the Sugar Bowl [in New Orleans] and started shaking everybody's hands." Carrie will forever remember attending the victorious 2013 Sugar Bowl as a defining moment in her career at UofL.

Road to Office

After just four years packed full of classes, internship, positions in offices and even an SGA presidency, accolade-smothered senior is graduating with her bachelors in Economics and Political Science this spring. What's next?
"I’m going to go law school. I’ve applied to a lot of schools and been accepted [Washington and Lee University, William & Mary, and George Washington, to name a few]… I’m still waiting to hear back from a few."

“I used to have reasons for wanting to leave [Kentucky]. After living in Louisville, I don’t have a reason to want to leave, anymore.”

“I want to practice law, and ultimately stay in Kentucky. I always thought I just wanted to go away, get out. But after living in Louisville, I have a different view of the state; there is so much diversity.

I would love to run for office... I think there are many things to work on, number one, being education.”

Dream job? "Probably Kentucky Senator. I'd like to spend several years in Frankfort before I ever considered working in Washington."