An interviewing story…

Having an admissions interview for the University of Rochester is one sure way of making your application stand out in the admissions process. It also helps place you among the top for merit based scholarship consideration. Some interviews are less than memorable, while others, the applicant and or the interviewer, will be talking about for years to come.

One of these “most memorable” interviewing moments occurred during my travel and recruitment trip to Trinidad and Tobago during the last weekend in October. There was a two-day college fair at the Hilton Conference Center Hotel taking place on Saturday and Sunday. During my time there, I managed to schedule interviews with several applicants. Staying at this hotel was the new female hip-hop/rapper sensation topping the charts everywhere, Nicki Minaj. In fact, she even held up my flight from JFK in New York, which she happened to be on, and brought the airport in Trinidad to a standstill until she was cleared through. Apparently it was her big debut on the island, and the country was in frenzy because she was there.

On Sunday, while conducting my last interview in the lobby of the Hilton, Nicki Minaj walked by with her entourage and bodyguard, which happens to be a few feet away from where the applicant was sitting. When he looked up and caught sight of Nicki, he completely lost his cool and was star-struck. He tried to compose himself and continue to jump back into our conversation, but failed to do so miserably. He then motioned over to his mother sitting a few yard behind us gesturing vigorously that Nicki Minaj is right there. His excitement was contagious. I stopped the interview and allowed him to take advantage of a perhaps once in a life-time opportunity. He quickly ran up to her and asked to take a picture of her with his cell phone. Well, I wasn’t just going to sit there and wait for him; I followed his lead and did the same. I mean, we flew here together and stayed in the same hotel, the least she can do is take a picture to commemorate our trip to Trinidad. Anyway, back to the young man, who is in complete shock and disbelief of what just happened. “I can’t wait to get back to school and show my friends this…they were all talking about the concert that she was here to do and some of them went to see it, but I got a picture with her.”

Returning to our seats near the elevator, he was completely composed and was even more confident and comfortable for the remainder of the interview. Our conversation carried on as if what had just happened never actually occurred. I was impressed by the way he spoke up and conveyed his interest in international relations, environmental studies, foreign languages and linguistics. Needless to say, it was a memorable interview for both of us. Admissions interviews are opportunities for us to get to know students in a way that we may not see them on paper and I certainly witnessed a side of this young man that I’m sure no other college will see. Was it an advantage to him that we shared a memorable moment, perhaps, will his application stand out – absolutely, thanks to Nicki Minaj.

Damian Garcia
Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative