The experience of transferring to a new college can be an exciting but stressful journey.
For Millsaps senior and Rayne, Louisiana native Austin Arceneaux, it was flawless.
Arceneaux began his college career at Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kansas. When the time came for him to take the next step and transfer to a new college, he was specific about what he wanted.
“I was looking for a campus that felt like home, offered academic rigor and a baseball program that challenged me,” Arceneaux said. “I found all these things at Millsaps College.”
Arceneaux felt supported in every step of the transfer process, with advisors working with him to ensure his credits would transfer so he’d graduate on time. He also found it easy to fit into the Millsaps campus community.
“Once I got onto Millsaps’ campus, I was immediately welcomed not only by my fellow students but also by the faculty and staff. It truly felt like I had been at Millsaps the whole time and not just for a couple of weeks.”
While Arceneaux immediately felt at home at Millsaps, he especially appreciated the support he received from Dr. Victoria Gorham, assistant professor of government and politics. Gorham also taught Arceneaux’s favorite class at Millsaps, American Foreign Policy.
“The course allowed for a free and open discourse to discuss contemporary issues facing American foreign policy amongst my peers,” Arceneaux said.
He attributes the course’s environment to Gorham.
“Dr. Gorham creates a learning environment that challenges students to think of new and creative ideas to challenge the political issues that the world faces today, and she is always available to help when you are feeling lost or need guidance in any course.”
Arceneaux, who is majoring in government and politics, is also active in the Millsaps community. He is a member of the Millsaps baseball team and Kappa Alpha Order, and he’s the president of the Government and Politics Club and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In addition to student organizations, Arceneaux spent two summers as an intern for The Picard Group in Lafayette, Louisiana and has worked as the departmental assistant for the Government and Politics department at Millsaps.
This fall, Arceneaux will attend law school at Louisiana State University with plans to follow his legal aspirations of serving as a U.S. Attorney. He credits Millsaps with playing a key role in preparing him for law school and the legal field—from improving his writing skills to developing his ability to see an issue from multiple angles.
“Much of the feedback I received from law schools was that my writing was right there with their first-year students, and I credit this to the rigorous writing assignments I completed at Millsaps,” he said.
“In addition, my teachers at Millsaps have challenged me to look at problems in different ways that challenged my pre-conceived notions. I know this will help in law school and in the legal field because legal issues are not black and white. They require lawyers to analyze issues from different ways to be successful.”