Senior Emily Brady has some advice for her younger self, and other first-year students, as her Clemson graduation approaches: “Don’t be afraid to reach out to people. Get out of your own way, and don’t close yourself off.”
Since childhood, Emily dreamed of one day being a Clemson twirler. The idea of performing for crowds and entertaining fans from near and far exhilarated her. Being a part of that team was how Emily’s community engagement first grew at Clemson.
She twirled her way across the field of Memorial Stadium and took to the streets of Clemson to energize crowds coming to Death Valley to cheer on the Tigers. It became a constant in her college life. Having fulfilled the dreams that began when she was just 6 years old, Emily found new ones to make reality.
Emily fostered lasting relationships with the Clemson Athletics ticketing office, which opened doors for her across campus and beyond. The job allowed her to interact with people from all walks of life, showed her how important each part of the athletics process was at Clemson and even showed her an opportunity to work with the College World Series.
Through that high-profile internship, Emily set ambitious professional goals that included the desire to stay in Clemson and pursue a career that might start in the ticketing office and lead her to bigger roles over time.
“I’m debating attending grad school at Clemson and working in the front office for a team in college or pro sports,” she says. “Ideally, I would love to work for the football office here. That’s my dream.”
The people are what make Clemson home for Emily, and the Clemson community has impacted her more than anything else. Having been touched by the kindness of everyone here, she hopes to continue to hold onto those values wherever she ends up. Even though Emily has seen the campus grow and change over the years, it has kept the same close-knit feel, and she has seen firsthand how Clemson students give back to the next generation of Clemson Tigers. It was that dedication to giving back that inspired Emily to leave her mark on Clemson through ClemsonLIFE.
“Don’t be afraid to reach out to people. Get out of your own way, and don’t close yourself off.”
Emily Brady, Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management ’23
ClemsonLIFE filled a void she didn’t even know existed. For as long as she can remember, Emily has been around students with special needs because of her mom’s teaching job. She has always empathized with their challenges, their triumphs and their stories. For Emily, it is a privilege to advocate for these students. Seeing the strength and resilience of the students she works with inspires Emily to be her best self, too.
“I hope that I show that I am holding myself to a high standard of meaningful work, and that my legacy is making an impact,” she says.
