As a first-generation student, senior Miranda Gooler found her place within WSU as a member of the Panhellenic Council.

Gooler, majoring in advertising with a minor in business and administration, said she realized that her passion lies in being a positive influence on people’s lives.

“It is always crazy because you look at Pullman on a map and it just makes you laugh,” she said. “You’re in the middle of nowhere but it’s really the people that make it everything.”

Gooler took on many roles at WSU, including involvement in Greek Life and the Cougar Connector program, where she gave prospective students tours around campus.

“I think throughout everything, I found my own strengths,” she said. “In high school, it’s more laid out for you.”

As the vice president of recruitment counselors for the Panhellenic Council, Gooler treated her position like a full-time job. She said she learned the power of encouragement.

“Everyone’s needs are individualized, and it’s important that you are intentional about the way you communicate and how people are communicated with,” she said.

Throughout it all, she learned how to have fun. She put a lot of pressure on herself, but the best moments came out of relaxing and laughing, Gooler said.

One of her favorite memories at WSU was during sorority recruitment. She was a Rho Gamma, where she led incoming students going through Greek Life recruitment and mentored incoming newbies.

Gooler also worked as a research assistant with the political science department for one year. The team and Gooler looked at advertisements from the last presidential election, she said.

This semester, COVID-19 posed ups and downs for Gooler. She said she discovered that losing social gatherings brought out the important people in her life.

“[My] genuine relationships still thrived, I feel like [I] was much more creative, and I was able to have so many more unique experiences,” she said.

Gooler said she spent quality with her roommates before leaving Pullman.

Taylor Yount, one of Gooler’s roommates over the last three years, met Gooler through being a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.

“Miranda is the most outgoing, generous and creative person I know,” Yount said. “She’s the easiest person to talk to, can create a conversation out of nothing and simply brightens any room.”

As graduation approached Gooler, she was on the search for a job. She said Greek Life afforded her with several opportunities, including bolstering her resume with leadership skills.

“I am graduating with a job lined up, which is something that not a lot of people can say so I am extremely grateful for that,” she said. “I can tell you that opportunity was presented to me because of Greek Life.”

Gooler will work at E & J Gallo Winery in the sales department selling wine and spirits to clients.

Her main goal coming into college was that she wanted to graduate with a job, she said. Gooler is from Edmonds, Washington.

“Checking that off my list was really important,” Gooler said.