While I have a lot of strengths, I would like to share my passions with you. I love spending my free time focusing on my health with CrossFit, shooting shotguns competitively in trap and skeet, autocross racing, rescuing dogs, and traveling across the world.
Most recently, my passions are CrossFit and bodybuilding. I love being able to push my limits both mentally and physically in the gym as well as being in such a welcoming community. I spend most of my mornings before work in the gym working on bodybuilding strength and spend my nights with my CrossFit family working on cardio and Olympic lifts.
My eighth-grade year I decided not to continue to play softball due to having knee injuries likely from birth. My parents told me I had to do something and I had already tried basketball, volleyball, and of course softball. One day at school I saw a sign about an info session for the shotgun team. Now, I had never even held a gun before and my family members were NOT hunters so this was way out of my comfort zone but sounded interesting. So I went to the info session, thought it sounded like fun and I loved being one of only 3 other girls. I had to attend hunters’ education class and then went to shoot for my first time. I was scared to death but wanted to do it so I did. That first day I think I hit one target in Trap out of 25 and I am sure that was an accident. The next week at practice was the same thing. Then I started hitting the targets and LOVED it! As they say, the rest is history.
After trying out for the Clemson Shotgun Team during my freshman year, I was voted as the team secretary two years later where I put my organization and leadership skills to use. Over the summer, I focused on gathering team applications to potential new members and relaying the information to the coach when necessary. I also help to organize team meeting times and send reminder emails to the team. With the rest of the officers, we plan the season for the team. Our season changed a bit due to the pandemic, but we adapted daily and moved forward with patience and enthusiasm. For the 2021-2022, season, I was again voted as the team secretary and was able to put my skills to use organizing travel plans and team affairs. At the first competition as a graduate student, I shot my personal bests in all disciplines. The encouragement and love I received from my teammates is a memory I will never forget. This team is my family and I couldn’t imagine going through college with anyone else.
Another passion of mine that strays even further from the normal is autocross racing. My dad has always loved cars and led me to my love of racing cars. Autocross racing is a timed event with cars strategically driving around cones in particular patterns. Racing is a way to connect not only with my dad but with others that share our passion. It creates such a close family within the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
Another passion that hits close to my heart is rescuing dogs from shelters and bad situations. I have always grown up with dogs in the house so when I was ready to have my own responsibilities I adopted my own dog in 2013. Her name was Foxy and she was a 7-year-old Golden Retriever mix. I loved her with all my heart. I knew that I had done something great when I rescued her because I gave her a home with unconditional love and pampering. When she passed in the summer of 2019 from an inoperable cancerous tumor, I knew that I had to continue to adopt dogs in need. I found my current fur baby, Remi, at a local shelter in Clemson. He was only one year old but had been a stray for most, if not all, of his life prior to ending up in the shelter. Remi lives such a spoiled life now. We go for walks six to eight times a day and go to the local dog park every day for exercise. It is such an amazing feeling to know that I rescued him while at the same time he gives me so much comfort and happiness in return.
I have traveled to 9 different countries and 23 states. I was honored to travel with People to People Student Ambassadors for two summers. I, first, went to France, Italy, and Greece and then the next summer adventured to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. It was an amazing experience to interact and engage in different cultures. During each journey, we spent time doing service projects such as rehabilitating turtles or working with children in a Fijian village pictured below. My favorite part of traveling with People to People Student Ambassadors was staying with a home stay family. In Italy and New Zealand, I was assigned to a native family for a little under a week to be immersed in the culture and better understand the lifestyles of each country. I will never forget the memories and friendships that I made with other students as well as the natives during these three to four-week adventures.
Mackenzie Grumbles 