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Makayla Richardson ’29 has always been a go-getter, and taking advantage of campus resources at the University of Tampa has given her the confidence to take her ambition to the next level.

The first-generation college student and Brooklyn native is a sophomore who already has two internships under her belt and is embarking on a third this semester. She is majoring in applied sociology, born out of an interest in understanding the world.

“I'm very interested in how society works,” she said. “Sociology is a study of society and how different things happen, how we influence each other.”

That led to her current internship, working with Sen. Brian Nathan ’12, a UTampa alum who represents District 14, which includes portions of Hillsborough County, in the Florida Senate.

While she is headed toward a career in law, following two internships in New York City, one with a criminal defense firm last summer and another with the New York Police Department in 2024, Richardson hasn’t ruled out working in politics or running for office herself.

One thing she’s noticed about the people she wants to emulate: before they got fancy titles, they gave back first, serving their communities.

“They always showed that they cared for their community, and they did a lot of things within it,” she said. “They weren’t dormant.” 

Richardson hopes her job in Nathan’s office this fall will give her a ground-floor view of that approach. She got the internship, which starts this month, after following up with Nathan’s office last year when he came to speak in one of her classes.

Proactively reaching out to someone like Nathan is a skill Richardson says she’s learned and developed in her time at UTampa. When she first came to campus, she considered herself an introvert, she said, and spent a lot of time in her room.

She connected with a peer mentor through the University’s SPEARS or Spartan Peers Educating About Resources program. The program trains other students to offer campus insights, encouragement, practical advice and social support as students acclimate to college.

She has also done therapy through the University’s Counseling Services and participated in peer wellness coaching offered through Wellness Services.

“It really helped me when I was going through a rough time, not really acclimating,” she said of the programs.

The wellness room in the Vaughn Center with its quiet spaces and massage chairs also helped her unwind throughout the school year, Ricardson said.

“I feel like I really turned things around at the end of the semester,” she said.

Wellness Services resources, including workshops that help students develop resilience and manage their mindset are available to all UTampa students, said Tiffany Nelson, associate director of wellness, who leads the resilience workshops on campus.

“There can be such a value to fostering that sense of belonging, especially when someone is new,” she said. “We’re working to make sure all students are aware of the things we have to offer.”

As her second year at UTampa gets underway, Richardson is leaning into leadership, helping new first-year students by serving as a volunteer peer mentor in the Spartan Connect program through Wellness Services.

“I wanted to give back after my own experience having a peer mentor,” she said. “I know how hard it is to be a first-time college student or a transfer.”

She will be paired with an off-campus first-year student to work with throughout the year and said she’s excited to help others connect to the same campus resources that helped her.

Her advice for those just starting their UTampa journey?

“Don’t be afraid to speak up,” she said. As long as you're yourself, you can kind of make anything out of wherever you are.”