My name is Dorothy (Carroll) Vetterl, and I was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. I graduated from Jefferson County International Baccalaureate with an Advanced Academic Diploma from the state of Alabama and a diploma from the IBO in 2015.
During my time at Ferrum, I was a political science major with an emphasis in Democracy, Justice, and Civic Engagement and a minor in International Relations. I graduated from Ferrum in May 2018 and was awarded the Arthur S. Owens Leadership Award at Commencement.
Ferrum was a place I called home for three years and the honors students, along with other students on campus, were my family. I was a student-athlete (cross country), a resident assistant, president of Delta Phi Epsilon, co-founder of No Labels, a member of Lion’s Club, an SGA senator, and a member of the Honors Advisory Council among other clubs and organizations. Ferrum provided me many opportunities for experiential learning. The Boone Honors Program provided me with a scholarship to study environmental laws in the Virgin Islands for 3 weeks; when I wasn’t gathering research, I was on a beach organizing my data or taking breaks to snorkel with the class. Ferrum also provided me the opportunity to intern and study in Washington D.C. for a semester. During that semester, I took classes at American University twice a week and interned with the Department of Justice three days a week. I didn’t know it at the time, but I also met the man who is now my husband and who also participated in the program.
After graduation, I moved to Washington D.C. to become a paralegal. I currently work full-time at a law firm and attend classes at Antonin Scalia School of Law’s part-time program, ranked the #4 best part-time law program in the country for 2021. I am also the volunteer coordinator for the SHARE of McLean and work to organize volunteers during the week and volunteer on the weekends. My time at Ferrum, and as a member of the Boone Honors Program, prepared me for challenges I face at work and in law school.
I check my Ferrum email regularly and would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the honors program or college in general.
[Honors director’s note: Dorothy was the Virginias Collegiate Honors Council’s 2018 Honors Scholar of the Year.]
