Blog

Name: Erika Hearden
Age: 21
Hometown: Appleton
School attending/graduated from and year: University of Wisconsin-Stout 2019

Tell us about your background:
I grew up in Appleton attending Holy Spirit School and Kimberly High School. During my younger years, I was really involved with dance beginning in first grade and competed from seventh to twelfth grade. I will be a senior in college next fall at Stout and I am majoring in Professional Communications and Emerging Media with a concentration in Applied Journalism. At school, I am part of our Dance Ensemble club and we have a recital every semester. I am also a writer for HerCampus and will be on the exec board as the Social Media Specialist and Editor in Chief next year! I love fashion, eating, sleeping, and hanging out with my family, boyfriend and friends.

Why did you want to be an intern at FCM?
I thought this would be an awesome opportunity for me to develop more skills and really get to see how a magazine works. I also thought it would be perfect because I live in Appleton and know the area really well.

What’s your favorite thing about the Fox Cities?
I absolutely love the local coffee shops and the friendliness of everyone who lives here! I’m also a big fan of the Fox River Mall since I really love shopping.

The last book you read:
“A Thousand Splendid Suns”

Last movie you watched:
“The Greatest Showman”

Any hidden talents?
Making mosaics and pottery from learning in my high school art classes!

What can’t you live without?
Coffee, for sure.

What’s the biggest risk you ever took?
After years of wanting to be a fashion designer, I realized after my first year of college that it wasn’t for me and I decided to change my major. I knew that I have always been a writer at heart and that is where my career path should go, but it was scary making such a huge change.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Be yourself because everyone else is already taken.” It’s cheesy, but it is so true.

Describe your perfect Saturday:
My perfect Saturday in Menomonie would be sleeping in on a rainy morning, having a cup of coffee, spend the day reading or watching movies with my boyfriend, then go out dancing with my friends at night.

My perfect Saturday in Appleton would be shopping at the mall with my friends, grabbing coffee at Tempest, then hanging out at the park or one of our houses.