MEREDITH RODRIGUEZ
Assistant Living Editor
Carolyn Simpson of Clovis, Calif. is on a mission to prove that there is more to Fresno County than cows. As a junior, Simpson has charmed nearly all corners of Pepperdine: Campus Ministry worship team, Student Programming Board, Delta Delta Delta, and she even made a brief apperance on Pepperdine’s cheerleading squad. As an international studies major and French minor, this analytical redhead has also taken advantage of Pepperdine’s international programs. She spent the 2004-2005 school year in London and the summer before in France. This summer, she will head east once again — this time to Washington, D.C.
You’re from Clovis. What’s that like?
I am a very Fresno/Clovis pride person. I hate it when people talk crap, because most of them haven’t been there. I’m like, “What did you do, drive (highway) 99?”
So you defend it?
Yeah, but I had a friend visit once, and she was like, “So what is there to do here?” And I was like, “Umm …” I mean, it’s just a regular town. It’s not historical like San Francisco. You just go to movies, the mall, hang out with friends.
What were you involved in growing up?
I did non-conventional sports in high school. I was a cheerleader and in color guard, and I did band stuff and choir.
So was cheerleading your favorite?
Oh no. The only reason I did cheer was that it gave me a purpose for tumbling. I took tumbling lessons at three years old.
That young?
Yeah, I love it. If I am ever home long enough to take tumbling lessons, then I do.
I bet you’re pretty good.
Well, I think I’m getting too old for it. There was this eight-year-old in the class, and he was better than me. The teacher was like, “How old is everybody?” And I was like “20.” He just looked at me and laughed then said, “No seriously, how old are you?” And I was like, “No, seriously.” And he laughed.
What else do you do when you visit home?
Well, I crashed my car this Christmas. I hydroplaned into a cement wall. I hit a wet spot on the ground.
That’s scary.
Yeah, it was scary driving back here … But I hate it when guys are like, “Oh, that’s just a woman driver.”
Yeah, but I heard that women don’t have as good of depth perception as men.
Yeah, I know. I am horrible at estimating how many jelly beans are in a jar.
Jelly beans?
Yeah, you know those estimation things? I’m always way off by like a hundred.
You’ve done lots of international programs right?
Yeah, I went to London last year, France the summer before and will be doing D.C. this summer. I’m never home. Last summer was the first time I was back home in I don’t know how long.
Was it weird?
It was really weird. I had my first steady job. I worked at a tow-truck company.
What was that like?
It was an interesting experience. Every guy’s reaction is: “Did you drive the trucks?” And I’m like, “No, you have to have a license for that.”
What was the summer before that, in France, like?
It was a learning experience.
Did you like your home-stay?
She was French. That’s all you can say to describe her. She was single, divorced. She was very interesting. She didn’t let me use the dishwasher or the washing machine.
You’re the Student Programming Board’s weekend events coordinator and activities chair for TriDelta, so you like activities a lot?
Apparently I do. Tridelt says that the position finds the girl, so whatever they think you’re good at, that’s what they’ll nominate you for. I guess everyone thought I was an activities person. I’ve never done it before this year.
So what’s something friends may not know about you?
I actually love being on stage. I get really nervous, though, and I never volunteer. I randomly got asked last week to introduce a band for Battle of the Bands. It was very last minute, but once I got up there, it was really fun.
What else have you done at Peppedine?
I tried cheer here for a month. A month later I broke my ankle at practice. I had to have surgery, so I was out of it.
Did they throw you up?
Yeah, I was a flyer, but they didn’t drop me. Everyone assumes that, but it was my fault. I didn’t catch myself.
On your Facebook profile you listed “Well-behaved women rarely make history,” as one of your favorite quotes.
Ha. I just saw it somewhere and I was like, that is so true. All women in history did something unconventional. They disobeyed rules. They were women who took matters into their own hands and got something done when men wouldn’t do anything.
02-09-2006
