Alumna Lane Hume is the Face of Westminster in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas

Regional Admissions Counselor Lane Hume, ’10 ΚΚΓ, of Little Rock, AR, is the face of Westminster College throughout Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. She tells prospective students — no matter how gigantic their high schools are — to check out the small, historic liberal arts college in central Missouri. Read her perspective on how Westminster becomes a place for all graduates to come home to long after passing through the Columns.

Where are you from originally?

I was born and raised in Maumelle, which is a suburb of Little Rock, AR. I went to a very large inner-city high school. If you had asked me at the beginning of my senior year if I was planning to attend a small college (in a small town, no less), I would have laughed. It wasn’t until I began visiting campuses that I soon realized I craved a more intimate academic experience. As soon as I set foot on the Westminster campus, I knew I had found my future home.

What was your major?

Anthropology, Philosophy, and Sociology. Initially, I came in thinking I wanted to be a Political Science major. However, I took both Intro to Anthropology and Ethics my freshman year, and I knew immediately that I had found my passion. It wasn’t that political science wasn’t interesting, it was more that I had connected with Dr. McRae and Dr. Guinee. What is truly special at Westminster is that you build a deep relationship with your professors over the course of four years. Dr. McRae began teaching at Westminster the same year I started my Westminster journey. I had him every semester (minus the semester I studied abroad), and he challenged me in ways that would have otherwise been impossible to do if he hadn’t witnessed my academic growth over four years. I still see Dr. McRae almost every time I visit campus, and I don’t think that’s something that many undergraduate students can say.

What activities/leadership roles/organizations were you involved with as a student?

The beauty of Westminster is that the world is quite literally your oyster; you can do anything and everything! I quickly joined a sorority, Student Government Association, Student Judiciary Board, Student Foundation, and numerous other organizations. What I didn’t find, though, was that I was locked in or defined by my affiliations. At other schools, belonging to a sorority can consume nearly all of your free time. At Westminster, Greek Life is a great way to meet new people, even those that don’t belong to the same organization. I tell people all the time that my closest group of friends while a student at Westminster was comprised of multiple Greek organizations and independent students. I was thrilled to attend a college where I didn’t feel labeled by what clubs, organizations, or activities I chose to do with my time.

What do you most want to tell prospective students about Westminster College?

Westminster is a community, a family, not just a college campus. It might sound cheesy, but it’s true. While it is important to get a degree, it is even more impactful to get a degree and walk away with lifelong friends (or even a spouse in my case), an expanded view of the world around you, and a home that will always be waiting to welcome you back with open arms. You are never a number at Westminster, even when you’re an alum.

What’s your absolute favorite aspect of Westminster College?

To me, it’s all about the history and the spirit it has lent Westminster. I never even considered being a history major, but the magic of Westminster history is intoxicating! How a small school can be so relevant never stops amazing me. Even after all the years as a student and an alumna, there is always something to learn, some hidden anecdote that gives yet another spark of energy to the soul that is Westminster.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I like diversity in my life, so I do a little of everything: I am an avid reader and writer, I enjoy creative endeavors (I make jewelry, custom shoe/jean jacket designs, and I occasionally tie-dye way too many things), and I’m passionate about travel, both domestically and internationally. While COVID has impacted my travel for much of 2020, my bucket list item I get to check off this year is swimming with otters!

Family/significant other?

I currently live in a tiny house with my husband, Sasha Mirzoyan, ’10, and our two roommates: Banksy, a Boston terrier, and Rockwell, a tuxedo cat (yes, they match, and it was 100 percent intentional).

What is something about yourself that nobody else knows?

 My top personal goal is to become a published author before 40!