Senior Keitron B. Wallace likes to get outdoors, enjoy nature and open spaces. He loves running and leaving everything behind.
But even more, he likes connecting with people. The psychology major strives to understand personalities, which is one reason he enjoys the game of chess.
"It gives insight into people's personalities," he said.
He's analytical. His friends have often told him he should be a lawyer. And, in fact, he does plan to use his degree to prepare for law school after graduation.
At MSU, Wallace also works as a resident advisor during the academic year and a guest assistant during the summer. He said he initially was interested in a job with the Department of Housing and Residence Life simply to help with his expenses; but the more he worked with other students, the more he realized how much he enjoyed the opportunity to interact with a variety of people. He also thrives on managing a busy schedule.
"This role forces you to be unbiased. You take in information and have to approach situations professionally. I try to set an example," he said of his resident advisor responsibilities.
The son of military parents moved around a lot before landing in Mississippi as a freshman in high school. The Madison Central High School graduate was surprised to find more than 340 student organizations when he came to MSU and said he felt very welcome on campus.
"Overall, the people are nice and accommodating to me," he said. "I've really enjoyed my time here."
He particularly loves the sense of independence his college years have brought. He said that while moving around a lot as a youth isn't necessarily what he would want for his own children, the experiences helped him mature.
"Things don't stay the same, so you need to be good at adapting. Whenever adversity comes my way, I'll be ready," he said.