From a young age, Lauren Roll knew she possessed strong resilience. Throughout her life, she has persevered through countless personal battles and never once let it affect her truly selfless spirit.
Roll attended Oakland University from 2015 to 2018 and received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and psychology with a minor in criminal justice.
During her time at OU, Roll studied abroad in Spain. The trip, she says, was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience wherein she lived with a sponsor family who helped to better her studies of the language and culture.
Roll attributes her experience and preparedness for the trip to two professors: Adolfo Campoy-Cubillo and Dan Lorca.
“Those two Spanish professors helped me with my study abroad program and getting everything in order, and when I came back, they helped me with extra programs and really helped me get good with my Spanish,” Roll said.
Roll would also like to recognize the immense help she received from Dr. Shackelford, an amazing professor who assisted her greatly with her psychology studies.
Since graduating, Roll’s life has taken a slightly different path than she originally planned. Her dream of moving to Spain was sadly shattered when a personal tragedy occurred. Although the incident prevented Roll from pursuing her original path, it did not stop her from reaching her goals.
“Life was supposed to take me to Spain, but due to family circumstances, I ended up staying in Michigan and taking a job as a waitress. This job led me to meet some really great people and actually ended up shaping my life in a really great way. So, I’m glad I ended up staying,” Roll said.
Although Roll had every reason to give up, she returned to OU in the fall to pursue another degree.
The thought of going back to school had been weighing heavily upon Roll’s mind for quite some time. There was much to think about before taking such a big step once again.
“I had been wanting to go back to school for a long time, and I was saving up money and deciding what major I wanted to do before I went back,” Roll said.
Although she is not currently involved in any extracurricular activities on campus, Roll was once a part of the Women’s Rugby Club. Roll thrived while playing rugby and assisted the team as a coach for a few years.
In pursuing her graduate studies, Roll has enjoyed a fresh experience at OU. Roll’s return to OU is a testament to her resilience. Her story proves one can persevere through adversity and find joy in an unexpected pathway.
