After journeying over 1,000 miles from Lubbock, Texas to The Sunshine State, second-year Tallahassee Community College student, Elaney Tedder is following her dreams and coping with the Florida weather.
“When I first came here, I was scared because I didn’t have a job, but excited because I was taking my first step towards my dream school,” said Tedder.
Tedder began attending TCC in the fall of 2015 with hope to transfer to her dream college, Florida State University. Her love for FSU began while she was still living in Jacksonville, Fla. at the age of five. According to Tedder, Seminole pride is a family affair.
“I’ve just always loved FSU and loved how excited my dad got when he watched them on TV,” said Tedder. “I feel like he’s living vicariously through me.”
Tedder is currently majoring in International Affairs with a focus on Education.
“I was actually inspired to work in this major when I went to Japan in 2012,” said Tedder. “I went as a junior ambassador, and everything I’ve done since then has been geared internationally.”
Tedder is also greatly involved with extracurriculars on campus here at TCC. She is both a member of the Honors Program and the International Student Organization.
The Honors Program has given Tedder the chance to serve on the Florida Collegiate Honors Council as a representative for two-year colleges. This accomplishment was even recognized by Florida state Rep. Gwendolyn Graham. Tedder will be serving at the upcoming FCHC in Jacksonville in 2017.
Tedder states that her dream is to work for the United Nations or create her own program allowing students to travel abroad. She hopes to implement a strong experience of cultural exchange for all that wish to study in other countries without a hefty price tag.
Her goals are what prompted her to join the ISO, an organization on campus that focuses on bringing international students together with American students who are interested in learning about other cultures.
“ISO has kinda been my rock since coming to Florida,” said Tedder. “ I moved here alone, so I was having trouble with adjusting. I felt like I had a family with them.”
In the summer of 2016, Tedder ventured to Taiwan to teach English. Tedder stated that her time there was amazing.
“I learned a lot about myself and about education in the international system,” said Tedder.
Although she misses Lubbock, a town that according to Tedder, throws tortillas onto the field during Texas Tech games, she is satisfied with the newest part of her life at TCC.
