Get to Know Campus Leader Missy Rolseth

Hometown: Owasso, OK

High School: Owasso High School

What are your majors and minors? Political science and history with minors in pre-law and women and gender studies.

Why did you choose these?

I have known since I was in high school that I wanted to eventually go to law school (hence the pre-law minor), and after taking my first government class at Westminster, I really fell in love with politics and from there became a political science major. I always loved history in high school, so between that and the fact that I learned a lot from the history professors here on campus, I decided to add a history major.

Why did you decide to come to Westminster, especially considering you’re not from Missouri?

I was always looking for a small, liberal arts school outside of Oklahoma, and I was very impressed by Westminster’s commitment to academics. There are great professors here who really get to know you on a personal level. I was also very impressed by Westminster’s ability to bring in big-name speakers to campus on a regular basis.

What are you involved in on campus?

President , Alpha Gamma Delta; president, Order of Omega; president, Oath and Values board; senator, Student Government Association; intern, Remley Women’s Center; Communications Chair, Campus Activities Board; and head residential advisor. Honor societies: Phi Alpha Delta (pre-law), Phi Alpha Theta (history) and Pi Sigma Alpha (political science).

What do you like to do in your free time?

Hang out with friends, read, binge-watch Netflix, and I love dogs.

How have you found your purpose at Westminster?

Because of the variety of classes, I’ve been able to form great relationships with my professors. Westminster has shown me that I can achieve anything that I want. It’s never looked down upon when you try to do more and more. They believe you can, every step of the way, and will make every effort to ensure that you can. I know I have the power to do anything that I want to do, and Westminster will get me there no matter what.

How has the College helped you transition from a learner to a leader?

Inside and outside of the classroom I am a learner, and though others may already see me as a leader, considering all of the different clubs and organizations I am apart of and have leadership roles in, I am always taking in what others around me are doing — I am able to learn from them in order to become the best leader I can be.

What are your aspirations after graduation?

The plan after Westminster is to go to law school, and I am currently applying to 13 of those at the moment. After that, my long-term goal is to be a judge, whether that is on the Supreme Court or locally, in a state court.

Do you have any advice to others in terms of balancing multiple leadership positions at once?

The biggest thing to remember is to take time for yourself. There have been some points when I have felt that being in multiple leadership positions at once is the most stressful experience to go through, and usually this is when I’m forgetting to take time for myself. Once I figured that out, I no longer think, “Oh no. I have to do this,” and instead try to turn the thought around to, “I’m excited to do this, and I want to make the most out to my experience.”