A brief bio. I am currently a college student at American University in Washington, D.C. majoring in marketing and public communications. I hail from rural Kentucky and I’m proud of it. I love living in the city, but I love going back to visit the country from time to time. I’ve got a ton of interests and passions, but at the top of the list are politics, environmental issues, technology, communications, advertising, media and social media, journalism, health and fitness, creative design, movies and music.

A little longer bio. I was born on February 9, 1989 in Fort Knox, KY. Not in the gold vault, as I’ve been foolishly asked many times, but in the hospital on the military base. My parents were both in the Army and to this day they’ve instilled in me an incredible respect and admiration for the United States armed forces. I was named Alexander Wilson Priest, so named for the aesthetic qualities of the name and the family heritage ensconced in my middle name; my paternal grandfather was named Woodrow Wilson Priest (my father’s middle name is Woodrow). As for my last name–no, I am not Catholic, nor are any of the rest of my family. I was raised Methodist.

I grew up in rural Kentucky, moved to southern Indiana at the age of four, and moved back to a different rural area of Kentucky when I was ten. Therefore, I am a self-proclaimed Kentucky Kid. I like it that way. It’s better than being from New Jersey, at least (just kidding!).

I have two half-sisters from my father’s first marriage, and I love them both dearly. They are quite a bit older than me, but they’ve taught me a lot and I don’t see them nearly enough. They’ve also got blogs: my eldest sister is critically acclaimed author/blogger Cherie Priest and the other is Becky Priest, who’s blog is simply amazing for recipes and great poetry.

In high school I was active in academic and service organizations, but I spent most of my time with the band. I played trumpet in marching, concert and pep band, and keyboard/pit instruments for winter percussion ensembles. I’ve also been playing the piano since I was eight and I love it; it’s a fantastic way to relax. In my early years I thought I wanted to grow up and be a chemist, then I realized I’m awful at all that science-y stuff and moved on to mathematics. Until the day I graduated, I swore I would never enjoy writing–I was always a logical, mathematics/statistics kind of guy. After my first semester of college, I declared my dual-degree in marketing and public communications and realized that, like it or not, I will be writing for a living.

I’ve since tacked on a statistics minor; I refuse to let it go.

Speaking of college, I’m a senior at American University in Washington, D.C., and I absolutely love it there. After applying to 11 schools, being waitlisted at one, rejected from two, and offered scholarships from most of the rest, I narrowed it to three–American, Oglethorpe University in Atlanta and New York University in New York City. Ultimately, personal preference and financial constraints landed me at AU, and it was the best decision of my life. I am absolutely convinced that I would not be half as successful as I have been already had I gone anywhere else, and I will stand by my university until the day I die.

Life after high school has been amazing beyond my wildest dreams. I spent six weeks the summer before college in Tokyo, Japan, with one of the most amazing host families I could ever ask for (after some minor issues with another, not-as-great host family), and the experience changed my life. In the fall semester of 2009 I studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark–yet another life-changing experience.

I am eager for new experiences, great achievements and for opportunities to make a difference. Thanks for reading.

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