Student Spotlight | Kara Hamilton –
Fogelman College of Business and Economics –

Before moving to Memphis, I had never lived anywhere longer than two years.

I was a military kid, born in Virginia, moved through the Carolinas, and even lived overseas in Okinawa, Japan.

You get used to boxes and new beginnings. You learn to make friends fast and say goodbye often.

But Japan changed me.

It was the first place where everyone around me understood what it felt like to start over — kids who’d also watched parents deploy, who knew the rhythm of temporary homes and constant change.

That sense of shared understanding taught me how powerful community can be — and how rare it is to find.

When I moved to Collierville eight years ago, Memphis became the first place that felt like home.

So, when it was time for college, I knew I was staying.

Making Memphis Home

At the University of Memphis, my goal was simple: find the kind of community I once found in Japan — and then help build it for others.

That’s what led me to become a Tiger Elite tour guide. I still remember my first group — parents nervous, students quiet, everyone unsure.

By the time we reached the Fogelman stop, something shifted. The questions started coming: Do you feel safe here? What are your classes like? Is Rate My Professor accurate?

That’s my favorite part — the moment people open up.

One student, torn between schools, told me she loved engineering but also loved singing and acting. When I shared that Memphis had theatre productions and open-mic nights in the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, her eyes lit up.

She looked at her family and said, “I have to go here.”

Moments like that remind me why I do what I do. Every tour is a chance to make someone feel they belong — the same way Memphis made me feel when I arrived.

I never knew my grandparents, so in a way, Sending Sunshine fills that space for me. When I walk into those rooms and see their faces light up, it feels like a gift for both of us.

And I hope that when I’m older, there’s a student organization out there doing the same thing for me.

Learning to Lead

Leadership didn’t come overnight.

When I was appointed secretary of Phi Mu this past summer, I was nervous. I worried I wasn’t qualified or experienced enough.

However, I quickly learned that leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room — it’s about creating space for others to grow.

Now I’m focused on encouraging our members to get more involved around campus. Taking that first step changed everything for me — and I want others to experience the same.

My classes in the Fogelman College of Business and Economics help too. Professors like Philip Babin and David Gagnon connect every lesson to the real world. They care about who we become, not just what we learn.

Their passion and mentorship make me want to aim higher. To turn what I’ve learned into something bigger than myself.

Blending Purpose and Creativity

My path isn’t a straight line. It’s more like a canvas I keep adding to.

By day, I’m a finance major with plans to attend law school and become a family lawyer. By night, I’m painting custom banners for friends and campus events.

The first banner I made — a Galentine’s design — is still my favorite. It reminds me how a simple idea can turn into something meaningful when you pour your heart into it.

That’s how I see my life in Memphis — layered with service, creativity and color.

Each organization, each class, each connection adds a new stroke to who I’m becoming.

Memphis taught me that home isn’t just where you live. It’s where you decide to stay, grow and give back.

And for me, that’s right here.