Freshman Dana Hughes of Tampa says if she could do anything in the world she would probably be “a professional student.” The 18-year-old valedictorian from Howard W. Blake High School says she loves learning that much.

If that didn’t work out, she would go shopping. Every day.

“I love shopping. I love the mall. All the malls. I’d be there every day,” says Hughes, laughing at herself. “Barnes & Noble. Waldenbooks. I’d visit every bookstore in every mall.”

As long as reality intrudes, however, Hughes will study mathematics education. Her ultimate goal is to lead the math department at her former high school, but she says she’d be happy teaching at any inner city high school.

“I like helping people, especially those who maybe didn’t have the same opportunities that I did growing up,” says Hughes. “I want to give back to the community.”

FIU is so proud to welcome this ambitious young woman to the Golden Panther family that we’re featuring her in an ad campaign to run in The Miami Herald. Recently, we met with Hughes and asked her a few questions about herself and her future plans.

Here is a video of her interview:

Here is an excerpt of the interview:

What it took to be the best in my class: I actually found out I was going to be valedictorian at the end of my junior year. The few times I felt like slacking off my senior year, my sister told me I couldn’t. She said she had bragged about me to all of her friends, so I couldn’t make her look bad by not graduating No. 1.

On starting college at FIU:
I’m from Tampa, and I’m really enjoying Miami and FIU. The two campuses are very different – Biscayne Bay Campus is more quaint and intimate while the University Park campus is just huge.

Where I see myself in five years:
I want to graduate from college early, so, hopefully, I will already be well on my way to a master’s degree.

My dream:
Ultimately, I want to be the head of the math department at my old high school, which is one of two historically black high schools in Tampa. My grandmother earned her GED there. If not at that high school, than at another inner-city high school.

“The education I receive at FIU will allow me to fulfill my dream of giving back to the community.”

To view the ad, which ran in the August 27th issue of The Miami Herald, please click here to download a PDF file.

You may download Adobe Acrobat Reader from here if needed to view the file.