Hunter Freeman

Hunter Freeman, a junior and marketing major at the University of Louisville (UofL), is from Russell, Kentucky and graduated from Russell High School.

Becoming a marketing major was not something Hunter originally set out to do. “In the beginning, I wanted to do chemistry because my dad is a chemist, and I had a passion for it in high school. I did a year of chemistry and learned that sadly it wasn’t for me. I then decided my second year to major in marketing,” Hunter said.

Hunter, a quality trainer at UPS, has been with the Metropolitan College program since Fall 2019, and serves as back up co-chair on the Co-chaired Employees Relations Committee (CERC) helping to retain employees.

Hunter is highly regarded by family, friends, coworkers, supervisors, and educators as someone who is incredibly positive, outgoing, enthusiastic, smart, hardworking, driven, passionate, determined, and encouraging.

In fact, this spring, Hunter received numerous nominations for the 2021 Outstanding Metropolitan College Student Award, an award that recognizes students who demonstrate outstanding leadership, work-life balance, and academic success.

Outside of school and working at UPS, Hunter enjoys listening to music and works a second job delivering food for DoorDash during free time.

After graduation, Hunter intends to reside in Louisville, Kentucky and find an entry-level marketing position to gain skills and experience.

Learn more about Hunter Freeman in this Metropolitan College Spotlight Q&A Interview and Video

Video Credits:
Video produced by Renecia Griffie Davis, a Metropolitan College staff member.

Music in this video:
Song Artist: Scott Holmes Music
Song Title: Corporate Technology
Source: freemusicarchive.org

What inspired you to participate in the MC program?
I decided to participate in the MC program for all the opportunities it offers. It’s great that UPS pays for college tuition, books, and even gives bonuses for getting good grades. It’s also great that on top of that they also pay you to work, too. At first, I did not know where to go to school, and couldn’t afford to go to a university, but once a friend told me about all the benefits, I knew it was for me! I worked very hard in high school making it in the top 15 of my class, working two jobs, playing varsity tennis, and being in almost all the clubs that my school had to offer! In the end, with my strong work ethic and compassion to do my best, I knew that going to University of Louisville and participating in the MC program was the perfect match for me!

What has been your involvement with co-curricular activities, co-ops or internships, volunteer experience, community service, undergraduate research, etc.?
I was the Vice President of Administration for Delta Upsilon at UofL in 2019. In this role, I provided high-level administrative support for the fraternity.

What has been your biggest challenge as a MC participant and how did you overcome these challenges?
The biggest challenge as a MC participant has been getting used to the schedule. In the beginning of starting, it was hard to transition from working in the day and sleeping at night to working at night and sleeping in the morning/afternoon. After a couple months, I was finally able to overcome this challenge. I overcame this challenge by really treating myself with self-motivation, positivity, and keeping a strong head.

What motivates and drives you to succeed while pursuing your educational goals?
What motivates and drives me to succeed to pursue my education at University of Louisville is my mom. My mom battled breast cancer (stage 2) while I was in high school. She finally defeated it before I graduated high school and I have always looked up to her. My mom is basically my hero. She works so hard and always puts others first. She worked in healthcare as a PTA until her cancer diagnosis. My mom now works at FedEx as a package handler in the early mornings and takes care of her parents who are starting to have health issues. In the end, I know I will finish my education for her and show her my never-ending appreciation and love for her.

What person(s) has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
As stated earlier, my mom has been the biggest influence in my life. From high school to now, she has always had my back and shared her unconditional love for me. Especially recently, I have come out as gay and she has done nothing but shower me in love and encourage me to keep striving in life. My mom is my hero and has pushed me to be where I am today!

How has working at UPS contributed to your personal and professional growth?
Working at UPS has contributed to my personal and professional growth in many ways. Starting out, I was soft spoken and shy when meeting new people. Shortly after, I started to become friends with everyone and felt like myself. I was quick to become a Quality Trainer in the unload and meet tons of new hires and learn more about what UPS has to offer and teach. After, I joined the CERC committee and have met tons of new people and have acquired many professional speaking techniques when meeting and talking to new people. In the end, my hopes are to climb up the ladder and create more connections to increase my personal and professional growth.

What advice do you have for students interested in the MC program?
The advice I would give for new students interested in the MC program is to learn time management, getting sleep when you can, and never giving up. It can be very rough working from day to nighttime. I thought it was going to be impossible at first, but it is very manageable! I started out taking 10 hours and have now transitioned my way to taking 15 hours a semester now! My advice is to stay on top of homework and do as much as you can early, sleep when you have a chance especially on the weekends and keep a clear mind and try to take stuff at your own pace!

What is an interesting or fun fact about yourself?
A fun fact about me is that I love to listen to music. In high school, there would not be a day you would see me without headphones in my ears or playing music. I have found a passion for all genres, especially since taking a music class (MUH 317) at University of Louisville. The class showed me many more genres that I have found a huge passion for. As this may be a not so “fun” fact, it has helped me learn to use music as a mechanism of clearing my head and staying positive!

---

We are proud of our current students and alumni and their incredible accomplishments! The MC Spotlight is a way for us to highlight the amazing things our current students and alumni are doing. As you read their stories, you will learn how their Metropolitan College experiences helped to shape their futures and influence their careers.

We are always on the lookout for inspiring MC Spotlight stories. If you or someone you know is interested in sharing a story with us, contact us at askmetro@kctcs.edu.

Note: At Metropolitan College, we consider our alumni anyone who has ever completed coursework and received tuition benefits with us.