WEST LIBERTY, W. Va. – I sat down with Kate Billings on September 24th to discuss her life on campus and personal interests.
Billings is the Director of Student Life activities and the Title IX Coordinator. She was born in Poughkeepsie, New York. She got her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Binghamton University.
Q: What did you do before you came to West Liberty University, and how did that bring you to where you are today?
A: My original career out of college was sports management. I did a lot of my internships in sports marketing, writing, and event planning. I had worked in baseball specifically for about seven or eight years doing merchandising. However, I was looking for something more. I started to look into all aspects of universities: athletics, admissions, and student life stuff. I started out in New York since that is where I am from, but then I made my way over to Pittsburgh for a job. I wanted to stay in the area, and West Liberty was in that bubble. I applied here, got an interview, and got the job. I was hired as the Coordinator of Student Activities, and as other people retired, I took on their positions as well. Also, I took over Greek Life and started the food pantry. Today, I try to use the event management and organizational skills that I learned in baseball and apply it.
Q: You mentioned that you founded the food pantry here at West Liberty University. How did you get that in the works?
A: I used to be in Rogers Hall with Housing and Student Life. We would see a lot of people on campus over the summer, and we saw that a lot of students did not have access to food. The dining hall is not open often during the summer—maybe once around lunchtime. You start to realize how many kids stay on campus over the summer for internships and even kids that live in the town of West Liberty. You hear stories of how people are struggling and how they prioritize utilities like their car bill or insurance rather than spending money at the cafeteria. I thought it would be a good endeavor to bring back the food pantry. It was a thing before, but I brought it back to the forefront. We found some money in the budget to buy racks and got a donation for a fridge. Then, we brought the supplies to the old Intramurals person’s office and set it up as a commuter lounge. However, we were finding it did not quite take off, so we thought about how to better utilize the space. We wrote up a proposal to make it the food pantry and filled out paperwork to be able to take monetary and physical donations for it. This was December of 2020 when I wrote that proposal to my supervisor. Ever since, the food pantry has grown a ton.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming freshmen trying to get acclimated to college life?
A: I know it is cliche, but get comfortable being uncomfortable. We all get so comfortable being on our phones. The freshman class has done a really good job of getting out there, trying new things, and being vocal about it. I remember talking to the volleyball coach about how the freshmen on the team were very communicative and active. You should try one thing a day to push yourself more. Even if it is as simple as stopping by the Union to say hi to a club. We are part of a community. We preach that the Hilltop is home. Even if you are not friends with everyone, we show care to each other. You should try to get out of your comfort zone and try something new as well as having good time management. You do not want to look back in four or five years and regret not doing something. This is the only time where a lot of stuff is free. I mean, where will you walk into a place and have free donuts or even swipe in somewhere and have dinner? As an adult, you have to go to the grocery store and make dinner. To see your friends after graduating, you have to try a lot more. Take advantage of this. Sometimes, you do not realize what you have until it is gone.
Q: Are there hobbies you like to do in your free time?
A: I am very much a sports person. That is my family’s go-to. We have WVU season tickets. I also normally do herb and tomato gardens. I did not get to do any of that this summer though because a tree went through our house in the spring. My boyfriend and I were staying at my brother-in-law’s house at this time. I would not say I am the biggest green-thumb, but I like making fun displays for my front porch and planters for my deck. Whenever I can, I volunteer for my sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma, to advise them. I feel like I am giving back to them by helping out. I reach out to them via Zoom since they are in New York.
Q: Sports have been a big part of your career since you got here. Do you remember what got you into sports initially?
A: My dad is a big sports person. He is actually a principal, but in college, my dad went to Forum University in New York City. He and his friends got jobs with the New York Knicks. His best friend is currently the PA (public address) announcer for the Knicks, and my dad did the shot clock for a long time. Growing up, my dad would do his principal stuff and then he would work the Knicks game. We got to go to a lot of Knicks games growing up. My parents had my twin brother and I involved in a lot of sports when we were younger. We played soccer and basketball together until fifth grade when we started playing different sports. It was just engrained in us as that is how we grew up. Even at family gatherings, we put a sports game on the TV.
Q: What is the main takeaway that you have told students that you would want them to take with them upon graduation?
A: I say this to my College 101 class as well, but it is important to identify your values. I did not even realize it until I did a career change, but understanding what is important to you and speaking them aloud helps you align what job you have or the people you associate with. You can figure out if the people you are around mesh with your ideals. They do not need the exact same viewpoints, but if they have polar opposite values, it may be worth reconsidering. When I left baseball and started looking into other careers, I saw that my values no longer aligned with the ownership group. If I had been able to identify that earlier, I could have communicated my concerns with the ownership group or even left sooner. I could have even gone to school for higher education as much as I love the track I did. It is hard to put into words why you feel a certain way sometimes, so it is important to keep that close to you as you graduate.
