Janelle Gilyard

Hometown: Allentown, PA
Major: Finance; Business Systems and Analytics
Minor: Applied Statistics
Class Year: 2025

Why I Chose Stetson:

Stetson University has always been right around the corner from where I lived. At first, attending school close to home made me nervous as if I was ready to “grow up.” After visiting the campus on my first tour, I was met with so many new faces and positivity around me. It was surreal that so many individuals on campus were willing to get to know me and talk to me when I was unsure which school I wanted to attend. Stetson University was my number one pic immediately after my first tour. I knew then that I wanted to be a part of the small class sizes full of individuals who genuinely cared about the betterment of my success at Stetson!

Involvements on Campus:

Student Ambassadors - Head Captain, Alpha Kappa Psi - President, School of Business Administration Student Advisory Council - President, FOCUS Orientation - Assistant Coordinator, Business Systems Analytics Tutoring

What I Like to Do on Weekends:

On the weekends, I love taking the opportunity to spend time at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. I’m obsessed with rollercoaster rides and I like to start early in the morning when those no wait times so I can ride everything! I love spending weekends here because it allows for the opportunity to hang out with friends and family outside of school!

My Favorite Class at Stetson:

My favorite class at Stetson so far has been the West in Question. This took a lot of reading and writing but in the end, it was all worth it. I'm a Finance major, so typically math classes are my strong suit. This FSEM truly challenged me to push the limits of my analysis. To compose a correct research paper, I had to analyze historical events and determine how they affected political, social, and economic structures. Learning about all these aspects of Western Europe helped me connect them to situations occurring in the present. 

Advice to Prospective Students:

Stetson University is a space where everyone can come to feel welcome and connected. Coming to a smaller university allows us to build deep-rooted bonds and relationships with those around us. In my first semester alone, I was able to form wonderful bonds with all my professors who I still keep in touch with. Becoming involved on campus is even more exciting by meeting new people who are involved in the same passion but come from diverse backgrounds. 

Favorite Place on Campus:

My favorite place on campus is Libby Lawn. Sitting at the tables or around The Rock allows me to feel involved in everything. There's always someone you know walking by and stopping to talk to you. This is also the location of a lot of non-curricular activities where my friends and I can go to just have fun!