STEPHENVILLE, Texas — After accepting her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Tarleton State University at Friday’s 9 a.m. commencement ceremony, Kaitlyn Rash plans to attend law school.
First, though, she’s going to share her story as the event’s student speaker. Rash, the salutatorian of her graduating class at Rockdale High School, has not made up her mind as to a specialty in the law, but she has plenty of options to consider.
“A few areas of law call to me,” she said. “I like the idea of class actions — the idea of family law. I originally considered criminal law to become a prosecutor. I still feel that pull, but I’m keeping my options open.”
She began her collegiate career at Blinn College, where she studied criminal justice on a track to transfer either to Tarleton State or Sam Houston State.
Both schools are about the same distance from her home and both offered the same basic curriculum. Tarleton State had two things that made the decision easy.
“I had a brother who was a senior here. He had an apartment and was looking for a roommate,” she said. “So, I took the option of living with him.
“And I love the color purple. At the age of 10 I painted my whole bedroom purple. I understand what it means to bleed purple.”
A regular on the President’s List while at Tarleton State, Rash has completed her applications to law schools and is awaiting acceptance letters to make her choice.
Until then, she is considering life away from the Stephenville campus.
“I’m torn,” she said. “I know I’m supposed to be excited for change, and I am, but I’ve grown to love my little place here in Stephenville. I love the school.
“I love the ducks, the purple pancakes, coffee with the president. There are a lot of great ways to meet people. There’s probably not an elevator on campus that I’ve not made a friend on the two floors going up.”
She’ll also miss the academic enthusiasm from instructors and other students.
“I’ve heard several faculty members talk about Tarleton being a research school,” she said. “I love that because it means that not only are the students hungry for their education, but the faculty members are also always looking to learn more as well. That makes for great conversations.”
She is a little tight-lipped about her commencement speech, though it is centered around classic literature.
“I don’t like to give too much away,” Rash said. “There is a nod to Ray Bradbury’s ‘Fahrenheit 451’ and there are themes of the dangers of conformity and fitting in. If we’re not all the same, then we’re all different in our own ways. I want to stress the differences in everyone.”
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.