Elizabeth Rathburn

Elizabeth Rathburn is a 22 year-old graduate student at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania.  She has been working as a graduate assistant in the Study Abroad Office while pursuing a graduate degree in Organizational Leadership. In 2019, Elizabeth was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Music and Communication from Mercyhurst University and is very happy to have the opportunity to continue her studies at Mercyhurst.

Her choosing Mercyhurst University was based on several reasons, not the least of which is that she is a native Erieite and feels right at home living on campus in spite of the snow that comes every winter and covers everything in sight. The University offered her the courses of study that she wanted as well as the flexibility in scheduling and support that she needed.  Her decision was finalized when Mercyhurst offered her the opportunity to earn a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership through their 4+1 program allowing her to achieve this goal in only 5 years instead of the usual 6 years that it takes through traditional programs at other schools. She is thrilled to be here saying, “I am so happy to spend a fifth year on this beautiful campus!”

Although she didn’t play any sports, her spare time was taken up with playing the oboe. She has worked hard at learning to play this very difficult instrument and has experienced many hours of enjoyment with it.

Interestingly, Elizabeth has recently taken on the demanding task of writing a book. It is about entrepreneurship and creative fulfillment. Although publishing a book is not someone usually thinks about at this early stage in life, she is confident that her educational background and experiences at Mercyhurst University have given her the means to be successful in this endeavor.