Memphis is home for Tennessee Delta Kylee Todd, so she chose to stay here to attend college at the University of Memphis (UM). She realizes college is more than just going away, and she is confident that she can still have an authentic college experience while staying in her hometown. Besides, Kylee is looking to the future at potential internships and prospective job openings. Memphis has so many opportunities for business, marketing and social media – all things that fit in her studies of Public Relations and Social Media Marketing.
I asked Kylee about the influencers in her life and she had two words: my parents. “Throughout life, they guided instead of making decisions for me,” she explains. “And I respect how they live their lives.” Kylee’s mom, Leila, is a doctor from Lebanon and grew up outside of London. Kylee’s dad, Johnathan, is from Atlanta and she describes him as “very Southern.” Her parents are from very different cultures and have combined their cultures together to create a family lifestyle unique to the Todd family. Kylee has grown up to understand different cultures and peoples, so she seeks out diversity in all aspects of her life.
One thing that is big in the Todd house is the festivity of American holidays like Christmas and Independence Day. Kylee tells me that her mom wasn’t able to observe holidays when she was younger because she moved around a lot. Now, she takes chances to have fun celebrations with her family whenever possible. Leila emphasizes wanting to make people feel special, so she makes a big deal of these events. It is no surprise that the apple does not fall too far from the tree, as now Kylee does the same thing for her sisters!
When I chatted with Kylee, she was in the middle of celebrating birthday month with her roommates. That’s right – birthday month. She and fellow Tennessee Deltas Ashtyn Billops, Ragan Coleman and Talyn Lausenburg, share February as the month of birthdays. Kylee enjoys making a huge deal about birthdays, so each weekend she has celebrated one of them by cooking breakfast or dinner and decorating their house.
It’s the advice of her mother, “In everything there is an opportunity,” that reminds Kylee to get out of her comfort zone and try new things. I think we could all use Kylee’s positivity and love for celebrations to make a difference in the lives of the people around us.