Meet Megan Dollar: Our June Leading Woman

Name: Megan Dollar

Major: Journalism, Print & Digital News Reporting & a minor in French

Hometown: Nixa, Missouri

What are your career goals?

I’ve wanted to be a journalist for as long as I can remember – it’s what brought me to Mizzou! After I graduate next May, I hope to start reporting and see where it takes me in the world of journalism. I’m currently studying abroad for my second summer in a row, which I’ve really enjoyed in addition to studying French, so a career abroad could be in my future. Graduate school may also be in my future. I’m open to whatever opportunities come my way (in other words, I’m a bit undecided).

What are you involved in at Mizzou?

At the moment, other than Theta, I’m the Vice President of Fundraising for Mizzou Student Foundation, I help out with PERIOD. @ Mizzou, an organization that works to provide menstrual products to those in need and fight the stigma surrounding menstruation, and I’m currently in between the role of reporter and page designer at the Missourian. Previously, I’ve written for The Maneater, participated in the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy as a fellow, and served as Theta’s Online Media Director. I’ve also worked on campus at Investigative Reporters and Editors and tutored at The Writing Center.

What are you up to this summer?

This summer I’m in Brussels, Belgium, where I’m working as an editorial intern for Reuters, an international news agency. I’m covering the European Union and anything else that gets thrown my way!

What's your favorite thing that you're involved in and why?

I’ve dipped my toes in quite a few things at Mizzou so it’s difficult to choose, but I’d probably have to say Mizzou Student Foundation. MSF is something I applied for on a whim after an older Theta handed me a flyer in Speaker’s Circle, but it has grown to be one of my favorite experiences at Mizzou. MSF helps encourage student philanthropy by facilitating a scholarship funded by students called Rally Mizzou. The campaign looks different every year, but there’s usually free t-shirts and food involved! Members of MSF also serve as the student face to university donors; so I’ve met a lot of really cool alumni who have gone on to do great things with the education they received at Mizzou.

What are you passionate about?

As a journalist, I guess I’m passionate about people. To me, that is what journalism, at its roots, is really all about. Whether it’s a news story that can help people make decisions about their government, a lifestyle story that can help someone improve their way of life or just a story about life that can make someone smile. I’m passionate about connecting with people, telling stories about people and helping people to connect with other people.

What's your favorite thing about Theta?

Theta has helped me meet my very best friends in college, which I really wasn’t expecting when I decided to go Greek. I was expecting Greek life to be an opportunity for involvement, something that would encourage me to invest in my academics and in service. And Theta has been that for me, but it has also given me a really great community of people. Of all the things I’ve done at Mizzou, I don’t think I would’ve done any of them without Theta. Everywhere I go there is, or has been, a Theta there to help and encourage me.

Do you have a specific favorite Theta memory?

Freshman year, I was sitting in the foyer at Theta when a random sophomore girl walked down the stairs, looked at me and said “I stalked you on Facebook. You’re cool.” We both laughed, introduced ourselves and that was it. A few days later, I was working on decorations for homecoming when she found me and talked to me for at least an hour. A few weeks later, she became my big.

Coming into college, I didn’t want to join a sorority because I believed all of the stereotypes and just didn’t think it was for me. My older sister, who was Greek at another school, convinced me to at least give recruitment a try. I’m kind of shy at first, especially when I’m in a completely new environment surrounded by completely new people, so even after the first few weeks of being a Theta, I was still pretty unsure about Greek Life. However, after I met Cayden and she became my big, I realized that I had done the right thing. I didn’t make a ton of friends freshman year and there were times when adjusting to Mizzou was really difficult for me, but Cayden was always there to go get Andy’s or go on a hike, and I really think my Mizzou experience became what it is because of her. The story of how we met is definitely one of my very favorite college memories.

What do you do in your free time?

Right now, travel! I’m headed to London next weekend to meet up with a few Theta sisters and to Amsterdam with my dad for my 21st birthday the following weekend. When I’m in Columbia, I’m usually somewhere drinking coffee or spending time with friends.