By Desiree Williams
Lauren Hendricks graduated from Fishers High School in 2013 and Ball State University in 2017. Hendricks, 23, is an administrative assistant in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.
Q: What was your favorite subject in high school?
A: History. I’ve loved history ever since I was a kid and I loved how Fishers offered multiple AP classes for history (world, U.S. and European). I loved being able to go deeper into history in high school than I had in junior high.
Q: Who was your most influential high school teacher?
A: Mr. Beasley. Not only was he the funniest teacher I had in high school, but (also) he taught us so much in Honors English 10. In addition to teaching us how to academically interpret literature, he also taught us how to look for deeper meaning in other forms of media, like movies. To this day, I look too deeply into every movie I watch or book I read because of Mr. Beasley and this class and I love it.
Q: What were you involved in during high school?
A: I was a manager for the girls basketball team all four years of high school. I played softball for two years. I was a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Club and the Harry Potter Club. I was a freshman orientation leader one year as well.
Q: What do you miss about high school?
A: I didn’t realize until I went to college, but I miss the sports games the most. The college I went to wasn’t really big on sports, and I didn’t realize how spirited and involved my high school was at sporting events until I left.
Q: Can you tell me about your college experience?
A: I majored in political science, minored in history and communications and was a graduate of the Honors College. When I lived in the dorms, I was my dorm’s representative for the Residence Hall Association (RHA). At the end of my sophomore year, I got involved in Greek life when I joined a sorority (Phi Mu). I was also a member of the Greek Honorary Society, Rho Lambda, the Gallifreyan Anthropology Club and the Democracy & Citizenship Club.
Q: Why did you pursue that major?
A: When I applied to colleges my senior year, certain schools made me declare a major when I was applying. Rather than putting undecided, I put political science because I loved politics, government and history, and I at least knew that would be an area that I’d be interested in and would enjoy. Once I got to college, I loved my political science courses so much that I just stuck with it.
Q: What is your dream job?
A: I really enjoy working for the government, and disregarding wages and the cost of living, my dream job would be to work for the federal government and work in a national park. I’d be able to combine a lot of my interests: nature, government and history. However, since I didn’t really consider any other majors or professions when I went into college, I’m open to trying out a lot of different things to find a field I can really excel in. I plan on moving out of Indiana at some point. My heart is really set on the Northwest and I’ve never lived anywhere other than Fishers or Muncie. I very well may end up back in Indiana, but I’m set on moving away for at least a little while.
Q: Do you have any advice for younger students?
A: In high school, make sure you lock down a few core friendships. You don’t become strangers after graduation, but it gets increasingly difficult to stay in touch with all your friends from high school. Make sure you have a few solid friendships that will last past high school and even past college. When you get to college, don’t be hesitant to try something completely new. I never saw myself joining a sorority. None of my family or friends saw that happening, either, but joining Greek life was my best decision at Ball State and my only regret is that I waited until I was halfway done with college to give it a chance.
