Kailee Edwards learned early that opportunity is something you create. By 16, she was a keyholder at Häagen-Dazs, training 13 employees while running her own handmade jewelry and crochet business and sponsoring her high school’s 5K race. Those experiences shaped her view of leadership as both responsibility and action.
At the 911±¬ÁÏÍø, she has carried that mindset into every commitment. Edwards maintains a 3.97 GPA while working more than 30 hours a week as a shift lead at Buddy Brew Coffee, where she trains team members, manages operations, and builds relationships with hundreds of students and faculty each shift. She is preparing to step into an in-store trainer role, extending her impact through mentorship.
Her leadership is especially evident in the American Marketing Association, a chapter ranked in the top 3% internationally. She progressed from director of fundraising, helping raise over $23,000 and support 54 students attending an international conference, to director of Consult-A-Bull, where she led a 12-person student agency serving five clients, including a nonprofit. Now executive vice president, she oversees multiple committees and is preparing to lead the chapter as president.
Beyond campus, she remains committed to service through community and volunteer work. Looking ahead, Edwards plans to build a career in corporate marketing before opening a café bakery centered on community, and creating scholarships for students navigating college independently.