For Texas Tech University undergraduate student Courtney Plunk, choosing a university was not much of a decision.
“It’s actually the only school I applied for,” Plunk says of Texas Tech, with a laugh. “My mom and dad graduated from here and my sister just graduated from here last May. So it was in my blood.”
Courtney Plunk, 20, poses on the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock on Monday.
While TTU had been set in stone for the 20-year-old sophomore from Roulette, Texas, her career path has changed recently.
“When I came to college, I wanted to be in the TV industry,” Plunk admits. “I wanted to be, like, an anchor, but I recently discovered I love writing and I love incorporating my faith into writing. I think it’d be so awesome to be a traveling journalist and follow missionaries across the world and just have a column in a magazine or something.”
Along with studying journalism in the College of Media and Communication, Plunk keeps her schedule busy, managing social media for the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center School of Allied Health Sciences and writing for the national Greek life-based publication, “The Odyssey.”
“Each week I get a Bible verse,” Plunk says, of “The Odyssey, “and I dig into it and I, like, love it. I look forward to writing it every week. Jesus is the center of my life. I just want to do everything I can for him.”
Aside from her faith, her Greek background led her to contributing to the publication. Plunk is currently is the new member educator for Texas Tech’s Phi Eta chapter of Delta Delta Delta.
“I’m in charge of educating the members about Tri Delt,” Plunk explains, “and the history and how it came about and just keeping them up to date and passionate about the sorority.”
According to Plunk, raising money for the sorority’s philanthropy, St. Jude’s Hospital, occupies a large portion of the organization’s time. The main fundraisers include “Triple Play,” a softball tournament and “Delta After Dark,” a concert and barbecue event, hosted by Delta Delta Delta.
According to Plunk, despite having written about many Bible verses, it’s difficult to choose a favorite and she enjoys scripture as a whole. She is currently a member of Redeemer Church in Lubbock.
“I went to church every Sunday,” Plunk says, of her church in her original hometown, “and I was really involved in my youth group, but I never understood the concept of being a Christian until I got to college.”
The student is also involved in the religious missionary organization, Campus Crusaders for Christ, or Cru, as it is commonly known, and sings vocals in the worship band.
“I’m actually applying through Cru to go to Moscow, Russia, this summer on a mission trip,” Plunk says. “It’s a lot of evangelism, so just speaking the word and sharing the gospel with people.”
After graduation in May 2017, Plunk hopes to work for a faith-based publication.
“It was a culture shock,” Plunk says, of her last year at Texas Tech, after having a sheltered background in high school, “but I grew so much in my faith and as a person. And I think the one thing I like about college is everyone is so real. I love meeting new people and listening to their stories and just, like, developing that deep relationship with different people.”
About Allison Terry
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