For Mishay Long, The University of Alabama was more than just football games and tradition – it was a place that always felt like home, even before she set foot on campus. With a father who graduated in 1993, Crimson Tide pride ran deep in her family, and growing up in Priceville, Alabama, she never doubted where her future would take her. Although she had always envisioned the Capstone as her future home, she, like many incoming students, found herself grappling with the same uncertainty: how would she find a community where she truly belonged?
“When I think back to myself as a freshman, I didn’t really know what was going to happen, and it was hard for me. The first thing I wanted to do on campus I actually didn’t get, and it was really discouraging. After that, I was able to find community in other places, and that meant the world to me because it really made me feel like I belong,” she said.
Mishay applied for the Blackburn Institute her junior year. She was working at UA’s Center for Economic Development at the time and developed a passion for work that created a positive impact on her community. She felt Blackburn would allow her to focus on these passions and form deeper connections with others who wanted to give back.
“If people around you are inspired or excited about something, that really leads to a lot of progress and a lot of collaboration. Good things happen when good people come together.”
Being part of the Blackburn Institute deepened Mishay’s connection to both the University and state of Alabama. As an Alabamian, she had the opportunity to meet inspiring individuals and gain a greater appreciation for the people and culture of her home state. Through her experiences, Mishay also became more aware of the challenges facing Alabama, and this fueled her passion to advocate for positive change. She is committed to encouraging others to stay in the state and support their communities, believing that meaningful change starts from within.
“Blackburn has been so great to me. I’ve met some of my best friends there, and more than that, though, it has been a great opportunity for me to meet people who think differently than me,” she said.
Mishay graduated with her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from the Capstone in 2023, but she knew her work and time in Tuscaloosa wasn’t complete. She decided to stay and pursue a master’s degree in advertising and public relations and has a graduate assistantship at the Career Center where she supports their advertising and marketing. In this role, she has been able to work on a variety of projects for the department, including designing graphics, assisting in event planning and running social media accounts.
“I get to work with really great people who are committed to student success.”
Mishay contributes much of her professional and personal success to her involvement with the Blackburn Institute and the Career Center. Many of the professional development opportunities she experienced and communication skills she gained led to her to landing a dream job at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center as the community and outreach intern during summer 2024. Mishay has always had a passion for science, and this internship at NASA allowed for her to see how she could use her communications skills in this setting. It not only included more professional experience with event planning and social media management, but it also allowed her to get out into her community, supporting events like NASA in the Park and attending events in Washington, D.C. and St. Louis.
“Working at NASA was so inspiring. Just being around people who are really passionate about what they do and put their best foot forward makes me want to work ten times harder,” she said.
The most important skill Mishay took away from this internship was the ability to deep dive into unfamiliar topics and communicate them effectively for general audiences. Mishay’s involvement with the Blackburn Institute and the Career Center not only allowed her to develop valuable skills in new ways but also shaped her journey by fostering a mindset of embracing opportunities, continually pushing forward, and pursuing excellence in everything she does. For her, growth comes from stepping outside your comfort zone and giving it your all, no matter the challenge.
“Always say yes and try, because if you don’t try, you’ll never find out what kind of impact you could have had…I think that if you keep pushing forward and keep putting your best effort in that, the right thing and the right organization and the right community will always say yes to you if you’re giving your best,” she said.
While she hopes to work for NASA again in the future, she is excited to return home to north Alabama after graduation and continue to use her voice. As Mishay looks ahead, her time at UA serves as both a foundation and a source of inspiration, shaping her desire to make a meaningful impact on others, just as those who inspired her did.
“I hope that the people I met during my time here at UA remember me as someone that they felt community with, that they felt a sort of connection with. I really hope that everyone I was able to meet or influence in any way felt better because of it. I think all the time about all the people that inspire me and how much that had an impact on my life and so I want to be that for somebody else.”