Kiria Braden, a senior from Nashville who is earning a degree in marketing, a concentration in social media and a certificate in data analytics, said she’s come a long way since her first semester on The Hill.
The now president of the Black Student Alliance (BSA) and marketing intern in the Intercultural Student Engagement Center (ISEC) said she went from rarely leaving her residence hall her first semester of college to running for WKU homecoming queen three years later.
“WKU really helped me come out of my shell. At the beginning of my freshman year, I was afraid to really go out, but once I started networking and meeting new people, it made my college experience so much better,” Braden said. “Running for homecoming queen last semester was one of the best experiences I’ve had at WKU.”
Braden started getting more involved on campus her second semester by participating in the Miss Black Western pageant. “That was kind of the first thing. Then, I joined Campus Activities Board that same semester. The next year, I became the social media and marketing chair for the Black Leadership Academic Conference and the social media and marketing chair for the Black Student Alliance. I also became the social media and marketing chair for the WKU chapter of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.”
Braden’s leadership positions with student organizations multiplied during her sophomore and junior years. She joined the BSA her sophomore year after learning that the organization serves as a safe space for minority students and their allies, promotes academic achievement, cultivates dynamic leadership, and strives to eliminate social barriers. The BSA also focuses on mental health in the Black community. “BSA really made an impact on me. Seeing people who look like me having a good time together gave me positive vibes, and I really enjoyed that. Soon after attending a meeting, I applied to help with their social media.”
