SC Spotlight: Denise Rockstroh
By Judy Lee ‘17
Denise Rockstroh is a humble powerhouse of a lady, and I’m so proud to present her as my second SC Spotlight!
Denise is majoring in Health Promotion & Disease Prevention/Pre-Med emphasis and is in the class of 2015 (”ahhh graduation!”) She is the director of the Special Events Committee within Program Board, and her favorite snack is frozen blueberries!
When did you join Special Events Committee and were you nervous about it?
When I was applying to USC in high school, I checked out all the organizations online and found Program Board and specifically, the Special Events Committee. I promised myself I’d get involved if I got into USC and that’s how my journey in this committee began. I started as a general committee member, then as the Publicity/ PR chair, then moved up to Assistant Director for a year, and finally became Executive Director this year. I actually wasn’t nervous to join because I knew I would gain new friends and new skills, so I was extremely excited!
How would you respond to those who are afraid to join USG because it’s too clique-y?
In my opinion, USG being “too cliquey” is a misconception. While it may seem that having individuals who all consider themselves leaders in the same organization could cause tension, it has actually been great to see the collaboration between different groups within USG and specifically, Program Board. Even though we don’t all agree about every event and every program, it has been an eye-opening experience to see everyone’s different opinions play out into real programs.
Joining USG has been the best decision I’ve made at USC and I have absolutely no regrets. I truly believe that Program Board has been my second family throughout the years and not once have I felt left out, so I encourage everyone to ignore the stereotype and join.
What’s something about USG that could be improved upon?
Something that I’ve realized during my time as director is that a lot of students want to be involved in the event planning process and come to my committee meetings, but some feel like they don’t make enough of an impact. Program Board groups could therefore be more transparent with the event planning process, even though it is difficult to delegate my own job responsibilities to everyone in the committee.
What would you consider your proudest moment here at USC?
My proudest moment ever was getting accepted here, my dream school! Aside from that, when I first became assistant director my junior year, I had to plan my first Taste of Downtown LA event on my own. I had no idea what to do but I spent all summer doing paperwork, contacting vendors, ordering tents, etc. I even signed the contracts by myself (not allowed!) but in the end, every little detail came to fruition. I specifically remember vendors telling me that this event was the easiest and best Taste of Downtown LA they’ve ever participated in.
That moment meant a lot to me because at that point, I gained a lot of confidence in myself as a leader and realized that if my name is associated with something, I will always make sure to do everything as perfectly as I can. Since then, as director, I’ve been able to plan my events with more confidence and ease, so I have that first event to thank for my success in Program Board.
How do you personally deal with failure? How do you cope?
I won’t lie and say I’m great at dealing with failure. Like everyone else, I’ve experienced moments of disappointment and probably haven’t dealt with it in the best way. However, my personality is very calm and relaxed, so most of the time, I try to internally process everything I’m feeling and don’t go crazy on the outside. I’m also very close with my parents so I always feel comfortable leaning on them in times of failure. I try to remember that every bad situation will get better with time because it can’t stay that way forever.
If you had to give your freshman year self some advice, what would it be?
Study more and prioritize school. Although I have no regrets joining USG and PB, I’ll admit that being director has definitely taken away from my study time. As a pre-med student taking Ochem, Physics, Bio, etc., I always feel torn between giving my all to studying and giving my all to leading my committee and planning events.
I do believe I’ve achieved a good balance of both over the years, but I do wish that I had put more effort and time into my studies. Although I love my job here, I am a student first.
What are you most afraid of leaving college? What are you most excited for?
Contrary to most, I’m not afraid of leaving college. The skills and independence I’ve gained here have shaped me into the person I am today and I am confident that I will be successful in the “real world.”
However, leaving college means I’m officially an adult with real responsibilities (other than studying) so I won’t have the same comfort and protection that I do here. I also love being surrounded by close friends and everyone I’ve met here since freshman year, so not seeing them every day and living walking distance from them will be a strange change.
Finally, USC was and always will be my dream school, so it’s incredibly sad to be leaving the place I love most. However, I’m so excited to have my diploma in my hands. My education is something no one can ever take away from me and that’s one of the greatest accomplishments. I’m also excited to take a (small) break from long nights of studying and always being stressed about events and schoolwork before continuing my education. USC has been my second home, but it’s time to leave this nest and return as an alumni!
