Meet Our Latest Alumna Spotlight: Rachel Trujillo

Theta Alumna, Rachel Trujillo shares her love for calling new destinations home, experimenting in the kitchen, ramping up her list of hobbies, and ultimately, how Theta has shaped her into the woman she is today. Continue reading to learn how Rachel is navigating life in her new city of Los Angeles as well as continuing to grow within the commerce and digital media field.

Name: Rachel Trujillo

Theta pledge class: MC ‘12

When you graduated from Mizzou: Spring 2016

Major/Degree: Bachelor of Journalism

Hometown: Arvada, Colorado

Where you live now: Los Angeles (as of two weeks ago!), but I spent the last five years in New York City

Where do you work right now/what have you been up to since graduation? Right after graduation I did a quick internship at 5280 Magazine in Denver before moving to New York City to work with the Food Network. I started out as an intern for our social media and editorial teams and have moved around within the digital department in the years since. Currently, I work as a digital editor focusing on Food Network’s shopping content.

What's your favorite thing about your job? I work with food, so naturally there is a lot to love! But, as an editor working mainly on shoppable content, I get the opportunity to test out a lot of innovative and exciting cookware. My kitchen is constantly overflowing with new products I get to put to the test and review.

What's your favorite thing about the city you live in? I have only been in Los Angeles for two weeks, and a big part of me still wants to call New York City home — so, I’ll answer for both. In NYC, there is always something to do. I used to love crossing 5th Avenue on my walk to work and peeking over at the Empire State Building — it made me feel like I was living on the set of a movie. In LA, you can’t beat the access to nature. I’ve been taking advantage of hiking more and spending the day at the beach whenever possible. Unsurprisingly, my favorite thing about both cities is the food. I was dedicated to finding the best burger in NYC (Joseph Leonard and Golden Diner are underrated IMO), and I can’t wait to find my new go-tos in LA.

What are you passionate about? I love the thrill of going somewhere completely new. That was part of what brought me from Colorado to Missouri for college and to New York and California after. So, I think my main passion is experiencing new places and calling as many of them home as possible.

What do you do in your free time? I became dedicated to ramping up my hobbies a couple years ago and found a new love for pottery. I can’t make much more than a small mug, but going to the studio, turning on a podcast and throwing pottery for a few hours was a great way for me to mentally unwind and escape the hectic city. I am eager to start it back up now that studios are re-opening. Otherwise, I love spending time with my puppy, Emily, just lying on the couch watching TV — we are both big Gilmore Girls fans.

Other future career/life goals: For as long as I can remember, my biggest goal was to move to New York City and work in media. Now, I’m setting new goals while embracing a new place and experience. The intersection between commerce and digital media is only beginning, so I am eager to continue growing within that field, but I also hope to expand my writing outside of editorial and into fiction eventually.

What do you miss most about Mizzou? I love living in a big city, but there is an undeniable charm to Mizzou’s campus that I find myself feeling nostalgic for, especially in the fall. I still miss the beautiful walk from College Avenue, past Memorial to Jesse. Also game days, I definitely miss games days.

What do you miss most about Theta? I’m lucky enough to still see my close group of Theta friends a few times a year (thank you weddings and bachelorette parties!), so there isn’t much I can complain about there!

What is one thing you took away from being a part of Theta in college that has shaped you into the woman you are today? What impact has Theta left on you? Looking back, I realize how lucky I was to be surrounded by a group of women in college who were encouraging, motivating and held each other accountable to be leaders on campus and beyond. I don’t think I understood how rare and valuable that was, but it certainly helped shape who I am today.

Do you have a specific favorite Theta memory? While this isn’t specific to Theta necessarily, I lived with eight other Theta sisters my senior year in a big house on East campus (shoutout to Rosy!). There are too many memories to name, but it was truly the best experience that I’m eternally thankful for.