August 21, 2020
Read time : 4 min

Shelby Lynch is the team leader from Mesa Community College, the winning team for Year 8 of the Up to Us competition. In addition to her work with Up to Us, she is also a leader in Phi Theta Kappa, a national honor society. First joining the competition in the fall of 2018 after being recruited by another member of PTK, she quickly discovered that her social media, marketing, and communication skills would be invaluable to the competition. After the successful fall 2018 campaign, she was nominated to lead the team in fall 2019.

As a member of Up to Us and PTK, Shelby has gained confidence, refined her digital marketing skills, and taken clear steps forward in pursuing a degree in digital marketing and integrated marketing at Arizona State University this fall. Her involvement in the campus competition provided meaningful learning experiences that related to her career and academic goals. With numerous awards in PTK from her service projects and leadership roles, Shelby also received scholarships as a result of her Up to Us experience. The scholarships helped her finance her education in a way that would not otherwise be possible.

Through her involvement with Up to Us and PTK, Shelby learned valuable skills that are applicable to her academics and professional career: team management, risk and opportunity taking, group work, engagement of diverse stakeholders, and creative thinking. With a passion for digital marketing, Shelby is excited to apply the skills learned in her college involvements, and make a difference in her community.

For anyone interested in joining Up to Us or Phi Theta Kappa, Shelby recommends that students create connections and follow up with people to build stronger relationships and achieve more. Her experience as a leader in both organizations required time management; the experience pays off through the leadership and team management skills you gain from running a campaign. Those skills helped her while applying for jobs and scholarships.

Shelby is deeply appreciative of the Up to Us and PTK, and encourages others to participate in both organizations because of the opportunities that leadership and campus involvement bring.

Interested in joining the Up to Us Campus Competition? Apply here.