Catherine Shewmaker poses with her laundry hamper after moving into Gardner Hall.

Catherine Shewmaker, a freshman business management and history major from Abilene, started her semester by moving into Gardner Hall on Tuesday morning. 

“I heard [Gardner] was the best dorm to choose if you wanted to get social,” Shewmaker said. “I heard the doors were always open and people would go between rooms and introduce themselves. I really wanted that social experience.” 

Shewmaker officially committed to attending ACU last spring. For Shewmaker, ACU offered her several opportunities she could not find at other universities. The COBA program appealed to her primarily for internships which she hopes to pursue in the upcoming years.  

“I really connected to [ACU],” Shewmaker said. “I felt like it had a lot of opportunities and it wasn’t too far from home. The business program was especially appealing to me.”

When describing her goals for the semester, Shewmaker says she hopes to find her place on campus and make new connections with students and faculty. She is looking forward to getting to know her fellow classmates during this year’s Wildcat Week. The activity she is most excited for is the Abilene City Limits concert. 

“[I’m excited about] meeting a lot of people, getting myself out there, and knowing we’re all in the same situation,” Shewmaker said.

Shewmaker’s mother, Jennifer, and her father, Stephen, both work for ACU. When asked what she’ll miss most about home, Shewmaker said her dog, Rascal, and her younger sister. She also plans to go home occasionally especially on holiday breaks.

“Since I live in town, I want to make [college] a new experience for myself,” Shewmaker said. 

Shewmaker met her roommate when visiting her grandparents’ church last summer. In December 2018, both women discovered they would be possibly be attending ACU and agreed to room with each other. Shewmaker’s favorite item in their dorm room is her laundry hamper.

In her free time, Catherine enjoys watching Netflix, reading, and being with her younger sister. Her favorite show to watch on Netflix is Derry Girls.