Stacy McAllister-Brooks
“APSU’s student body is a family. There is a sense of comradery that is palpable. I don’t think that I could have accomplished all that I have accomplished while in college without the support of the other brilliant, hardworking students that attend this university.”
Major: Chemistry, concentration Biochemistry
Hometown: Clarksville, Tennessee
Involvement: President of Omicron Delta Kappa, Vice President of Pre-Professional Health Society,
Vice Chair of the CoSTEM Student Advisory Board, Student Representative on the Board
of Trustees, Student Representative on the Student Academic Grievance Committee ,
Member of the Keys Student Advisory Board, Historian of XEM (APSU’s Chemistry Club),
Professor’s Assistant in Chemistry Department, APSU 1000 Pear Leader
Spending a semester living in Europe is a dream shared by many students across the country. This dream is all too often discarded because it seems too far out of reach. However, Austin Peay’s study abroad program makes that dream a reality for students, and Stacy McAllister-Brooks took full advantage of this opportunity during her freshman year trip to Spain.
"I think I was looking for adventure. My time in Spain was filled with delicious food, amazing landscapes, and more cathedrals and castles than I can count,” McAllister-Brooks said. “However, the most memorable parts of my trip were the moments spent making connections with new people, both from Austin Peay and native Spaniards, whether that be exploring Spain's massive art museums or singing karaoke with our professors.”
APSU’s study abroad program, however, is not the only campus resource that Stacy has advocated for. During her sophomore year, she decided to try one of the beekeeping courses provided by The Center for Service-Learning & Community Engagement.
"As a student majoring in chemistry, agricultural endeavors are not my forte, but I decided to go out on a limb and take the course with some other classmates. It was an awesome experience,” she said. “Learning how to construct beehives and spin our own honey gave us students a small taste of what it's like to manage an apiary. Our final project required us to go to a school of our choice and educate a group of young students about bees and the importance of being considerate to their environment.
“I really appreciate that Austin Peay offers service-learning courses in a myriad of subjects. It allows all students, no matter their educational proclivity, to find a way to connect with the community and fulfill any philanthropic passions they may have,” McAllister-Brooks said.
Despite all of these endeavors, Stacy has never forgotten her first APSU experience as a high school student during the University’s “Latin Day.”
Sponsored by the Classics Department, this event invites area high schoolers in for a day of activities centered on the ancient Mediterranean world, a campus tour and opportunities to speak with current APSU students.
Story continues below: McAllister-Brooks assists with science demonstrations on campus.
“It was one of my favorite days every year. APSU took the time to meet me where I was at, so to speak, and showed me that my passions are celebrated,” she said. “At the end of the day we took a campus tour, and by the time I got back on the school bus, I knew this is where I wanted to go.”
As she nears her graduation in May 2020, McAllister-Brooks believes from traveling abroad to taking service-learning courses to being a professor’s assistant in the Department of Chemistry, and even just being a peer leader, APSU provided her opportunities to gain all of the skills and experience necessary to achieve a successful career.
“Austin Peay has always been my first choice when it was time to decide where I was going to develop the skills needed to pursue a career in helping others. Being fully enveloped in the Austin Peay University community has allowed me to reach my full potential as a student, as well as a member of the greater Clarksville community, and I only hope that my time here has helped others to experience the amazing opportunities for education and fellowship that Austin Peay has given me.”
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