Scholar Scoop
This is where conversations inspire possibilities. Every episode, we speak with people who have changed my life to help you navigate yours. From college, career, to life. Glad you’re here
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What if the school you didn’t expect to choose becomes exactly where you’re meant to be? In this episode of Scholar Scoop, Steve Loflin welcomes the show’s first current student guest: LayLa Davis, a junior at the University of Kentucky and Vice President of the NSCS National Leadership Council.
LayLa shares how she went from being waitlisted at her dream school, Purdue, to accepting a full ride at the University of Kentucky. It became a decision that opened the door to unexpected friendships, leadership opportunities, and a campus experience she never could have planned.
Steve and LayLa talk about the fears that come with starting college, from leaving home and living with a roommate to wondering whether you’ll find your people. LayLa also shares how college helped her become a more confident version of herself after spending much of high school quietly watching from the sidelines.
As a student leader, LayLa helped lead the University of Kentucky’s NSCS chapter to become the country’s only Diamond Star chapter. In this conversation, she offers practical advice on stepping into leadership, connecting with other students, building relationships with professors, and learning how to show up as yourself.
She also opens up about how a running career cut short by injury shifted her drive into the classroom, leading her to pursue computer science, statistics and data science, and AI.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Why your “fallback school” might become the right fit
- How to find community on a large campus
- Why getting involved can help you become more confident
- How students can step into leadership before they feel fully ready
- Why treating people like friends can make leadership less intimidating
- How professor relationships can lead to unexpected opportunities
- What LayLa learned from turning an athletic setback into academic motivation
- Why saying yes can change the way you experience college
Whether you’re a high school student thinking about where to apply, a college student trying to find your place, a parent supporting a student, or an educator working with young leaders, LayLa’s story is a reminder that college is not only about where you start, it’s about what you choose to do once you get there.
