“Do not be scared to rustle the waters, and who cares what anybody else thinks. NO two college journeys are the same, and it does not matter what anyone else’s goals are but your own. Do not worry about anyone else’s journey but your own. Be proud of what you do and the impact you make, because that is what you will be remembered by.”
Kylan Mills
Tarleton State Alumna, Class of 2023 | First Generation Graduate
First generation Tarleton State alumna, Kylan Mills greatly impacted the university during her time on-campus.
Though originally from Nacogdoches, Texas, Mills knew Tarleton State was the university for her the moment she stepped foot on Tarleton’s soil.
“I chose to attend Tarleton State University based on how I felt the moment I stepped on campus. The true passion of each individual I met who wanted to help me achieve my hopes and dreams as a first generation student was enough to know that I had found that place that I wanted to spend my college career,” Mills shared.
While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Kylan was heavily involved in a number of organizations, many of which she maintained leadership roles in. She is a proud member of the Phi Mu fraternity where she served as the President, Secretary and Reference Chairwoman during her time at Tarleton State. In addition, Mills worked in many Student Media roles including serving as the Student Manager for The Source, the JTAC Newspaper Ad Manager and the Grassburr Editor-in-Chief.
Kylan also participated in a number of other on-campus organizations including Tarleton RoundUp, Order of Omega, Tarleton Transition Mentors (TTM) and the Tarleton College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Ambassadors.
“I could sit and talk about how each club and organization impacted me the most, but they all shaped me greatly in wanting to achieve my goals outside of college. The two that equally shaped me were serving as a student worker in Student Media and being a member of Phi Mu. Both of these organizations allowed me to find my people that I am still friends with today, allowed me to build my leadership skills and taught me how to be a true leader, and lastly how to be the person I want to be looked upon within my peers,” Mills said.
Kylan earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science with a double minor in Marketing and Business and crossed the stage in May 2023.
“Just do it! Come and experience a place that is like no other college campus. This place housed so many memories, so many friendships, and so many opportunities for myself. I truly was not the same person walking into those gates that I was walking out and I would not change a thing! It’s hard and crazy making that decision to go to college, and even though college is not for everyone, if it is your path, Tarleton truly does create great opportunities and moments for students that I will forever be grateful for,” Mills shared.
Mills now works full-time as a Senior General Manager for Lucid Private Offices, an office property management company whose goal is to help entrepreneurs grow their business. Her role includes cultivating a safe and inviting workplace for individuals looking to rent the space while also providing IT help and receptionist assistance as needed.
Although Kylan did not pursue a career in agriculture as she originally intended, she has found that her true passion lies in helping others.
“Personally, my biggest accomplishment would have to be finding myself after college. The road is not as easy as anyone says it is. In college, I would like to think that making friends, finding my crowd, and knowing my people came easy to me, and I never struggled. After college, it was hard. Moving off by myself and trying to make a name for myself in the professional world did not come easy. My first job allowed me to grow and taught me truly what I wanted for myself. It was not until my second job (yes ladies and gents, your first job does not always have to be an ace) that I truly felt accomplished professionally,” Mills shared.
Her leadership experience from Phi Mu coupled with her time as the Grassburr Editor-in-Chief aptly prepared Kylan for the life of leadership she now lives.
“My time at TSU helped me realize the true meaning of what I want to get out of life and my career. It helped shape my drive and work ethic, and truly taught me that even if it does not come easy. If you want it, you have to work your butt off to get it. I came into college wanting to specialize in Veterinary Medicine, and after my first class of chemistry, that made me realize that maybe that was not the path that I was meant to take. I soon took on leadership opportunities and jobs that allowed me to find my true passion in life, to lead, teach, and help others,” Mills said.
Kylan has not only made an impact at Tarleton State but she has gone on to make an impact in the real world as well.
“Professionally, having my work ethic be recognized has been my biggest accomplishment. Being given the opportunity to move to Arizona to start a new region for my company is an amazing opportunity. That has been a task that has taken efforts that are more than I ever thought I would have been able to do within my first year of graduating. The ability to have the pride in what I have accomplished, not only for myself but for my company, Lucid Private Offices, has been something that I am very proud to hold close to myself. It has allowed me to see a future for myself personally and professionally.”
For more information about the various degrees and programs offered at Tarleton State, visit https://www.tarleton.edu/degrees/.