People of Central – Reilly Mitchell

Story by Anna Konen

Photo courtesy of Thomas James

Central Michigan University freshman Reilly Mitchell has loved every minute of her time at CMU. She is majoring in social work with a minor in leadership. Involved in Love your Melon, Greek Life and A Letter For Better, Mitchell’s life at school has been a busy one. 

Mitchell is part of CMU’s large population of students who are from out of state. Coming from Annapolis, Md., Mitchell has an abundance of reasons for choosing Central. So how did Mitchell end up 700 miles away from home? 

“My mom went to school here and she took us on a tour because she wanted us to see where she went. I ended up loving it and I realized it was where I wanted to go, too,” she said.

Mitchell instantly knew this was the place for her, she just had a feeling. This feeling was so strong that Mitchell took a chance and decided to only apply to CMU. 

Mitchell admitted that being this far away from home can be challenging at times. Some difficulties include not seeing her friends and family that are still in Maryland, and of course, her dogs. However, not being able to go home whenever she wants has had its upsides. 

“The connections I have made here at Central have made it feel like a second home,” she said.

With the help of being part of Greek Life and living with her LAS cohort, the programs have given her some of her best friends.

Overall, making the move out of state was the right decision for Mitchell and she has been incredibly lucky to find her home at CMU.