Rachael MacKnight

During the busy season, MacKnight is a presence on the floor, arranging inventory or working the register. Throughout the year, she is the workhorse behind all the store’s marketing efforts: its website, Facebook page and radio advertising.

MacKnight has seen the shop grow dramatically in size since it opened. “For many of my classes, I keep two notebooks. One is for the class, the other is for information I can use in the shop,” says MacKnight.

MacKnight entered Towson University after receiving her associate degree from Harford Community College in Belair, Md. She attends all her classes at TU in Northeastern Maryland on the grounds of Harford Community College. “I take most of my classes with the same group of students, and we all study together,” says MacKnight, who at the recommendation of her professor applied for and received scholarship support through the Dr. Jeremiah German Rising Star Endowed Scholarship. “We are like a family here,” she adds.

A first-generation college student, MacKnight was on the team that captured first place in the Towson Supply Chain Management Case Competition and competed against other colleges and universities in the Weinman Cup Case Competition. She also participated in a Shark Tank Cover Girl competition. “We toured the Cover Girl plant and saw all the products made in Hunt Valley. The challenge was to develop a marketing campaign for their new mascara,” she explains. While her team did not win the competition, MacKnight values the experience.

As if her schedule is not busy enough, she also found time to teach trombone to students at her alma mater, Harford Christian School. “It was a lot of fun, and I loved working with the students.”

“ I take most of my classes with the same group of students, and we all study together. ”