My name is Katie Hoofnagle. I am from the San Francisco Bay Area and a proud 6th generation Californian. When I was 18, I made the ambitious decision to break a long-standing family tradition of attending college in California and chose to call Columbia my new home. I am now in my Senior year of undergraduate school at the University of South Carolina and intend to graduate this May with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the Darla Moore School of Business.

 

I have always thrived outside of my comfort zone, continuously pushing myself to break down barriers that are in the way of my goals. I am a firm believer that when it feels scary to jump, that that’s exactly when you jump. I crave challenges and adventure and have traded fear of what’s uncertain for freedom to excel within it. It is these character traits that have helped guide me personally and professionally, exposing me to a multitude of incredible opportunities over the last four years. These experiences have allowed me to develop new skill sets and strengthen existing ones, giving me the confidence to dream boldly, exist loudly, and strive for success.  

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My pathway of distinction for this portfolio focuses on Professional and Civic Engagement and will highlight my professional and personal development within and beyond the classroom. I credit my time at South Carolina, my semester studying abroad, and my past summer internship for having helped me to develop qualities of strategic thinking, effective leadership, and strong written and verbal communication skills. The people, places, experiences and opportunities over the last four years have helped lead to the development of my three Key Insights:

1. The importance of adjusting your strategy

2. The art of articulation & consideration of ethics

3. Giving back and paying it forward 

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The final section of my e-portfolio is the Leadership Section, where I address gender inequality in venture capital funding for female entrepreneurs. I then delineate how I plan to give women business students at the University of South Carolina the tools and skill sets needed to excel and thrive in the business world, incorporating my second and third key insights into my solution.