Rachel Nicholls, '13

Rachel Nicholls had a lot on her mind this spring semester. Along with studying for exams, preparing final assignments and soaking up her last days before becoming an alumna, Nicholls was also planning a March 2013 wedding.

Nicholls met her now-husband while they were both sophomores at the University of Richmond. “We got to know each other and knew fairly early that this was more than just a summer fling,” she said. “It’s funny because we’re completely different majors and really never had any classes together, but I’m very glad we met and were able to get married in Richmond which is where we consider our home.”

As a business administration marketing concentration major with a dance minor, Nicholls enjoys balancing her academic and professional time in the Robins School of Business with creative and interpretive time in the School of Arts and Sciences. She is a member of several honor societies and an Italian drill instructor, a position which allows her to assist fellow students with language skills in preparation for exams.

While at Richmond Nicholls has also held two internships, both having combined her two areas of study, marketing and dance. In 2011 she was a marketing intern for People’s Light and Theatre Company, a professional theatre in her hometown of West Chester, Pa., where she developed a year-long social networking campaign, performed research and documented a summer lab. More recently she was an intern at Richmond CenterStage, a local performing arts complex. There she aided the marketing department in organizing events, promoting upcoming venues and assisting in fundraising, networking and recordkeeping.

“My academic advisor, Dr. Nicholson, has helped me tremendously in planning and making the most of my time at Richmond. He has always been supportive of me and has encouraged me to get involved in different organizations and programs on campus,” Nicholls said. “He is very invested in my life and has been excited for me when big events occur, like my internships, study abroad program in Milan, Italy, and marriage.”

When looking back on her time in the Robins School, Nicholls said some of her favorite memories are from her freshman year. “Queally Hall had not been built, and the business school was still pretty small. It had a very warm and intimate feeling. As the years have gone on though, I love that more people are taking business classes, and the school is expanding. It has been exciting,” she said.

As Nicholls prepares for graduation in just a few days, she is looking forward to beginning her professional and newlywed life. Her husband is in the U.S. Army and will be commissioning this month as a Second Lieutenant; therefore, a lot of uncertainty lies ahead. “Until mid-October we will be in the city, where I will be working in Richmond’s advancement office. From there we will move for Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and later to Fort Bliss, Texas. This forces me to be flexible in both my personal and professional life, which I am very excited about,” she said.  

“Ultimately, I would love to be a marketing manager for some form of the arts, possibly doing public relations for a theatre, dance company or music group,” Nicholls said. “Until we settle down more permanently, I’m looking forward to trying out different business positions. I might find I enjoy something that I’ve never explored before. It’s going to be an adventure, and I’m excited to see where life takes us.”