A hole-in-one: Inside Grace Bartley’s path to graduation

BY BROOKLYN MCKINNEY

Multimedia Journalist

While many would feel paralyzed as they sit at a crossroads, an ominous transition period that feels uncertain, this is exactly where Grace Bartley seems to thrive. She stays focused, knowing exactly how to get momentum going in the right direction, like a golfer keeping their club steady as they drive the ball.

Although Bartley was unsure of what university she would attend after graduating high school two years ago, she knew exactly who she was and what she wanted to do from a very young age.

“I love creating things, I love talking to people… I’ve always, since as long as I can remember, been the kid who will get up on stage in front of everyone, do a full presentation, give speeches. It just comes very natural to me,” Bartley said.

Now, in the fall of 2025, Bartley will graduate as a communications major with a focus in public relations at Tarleton State University.

Tarleton was the last place she expected to end up – that changed the moment she set foot on campus, thanks to a friend who didn’t want to go on a tour alone.

“I immediately fell in love with the campus and the culture. It just felt like home when I walked in,” Bartley said.

She loved Tarleton so much, in fact, that she didn’t bother applying to any other schools. Even before Bartley would walk past the gates as a student for the first time, she began to embrace the unknown.

Eager to meet her new roommate, Bartley reached out to Sarah Bolin to invite her to a tour of Tarleton’s Honors College. She also invited her along for Duck Camp, a summer camp opportunity for incoming freshmen and transfer students. Bolin instantly identified Bartley as an extroverted character.

“I thought she was so outgoing, because I’m a shy person. So when I got to Duck Camp, it was perfect. My plan was: I’d let her make friends, and I’d stay with her and make friends with the friends she makes,” Bolin said.

After that summer, Bartley and Bolin became inseparable.

“You stand and dance on a table with someone at 7 a.m. after breakfast, and yeah... after that it’s been the exact same in a good way,” Bolin said.

Once at college, Bartley thrived in her first semester of classes as a member of the enrollment management team, which paved the way for another opportunity of creating social media and marketing content for Tarleton Bound as a social ambassador.

“I’ve definitely improved my photography and videography, especially through working with Tarleton,” Bartley said.

While she has gained a lot of valuable experience through student media internships, her public relations classes have helped her navigate different Adobe platforms and learn about graphic design.

“As I was in classes and meeting all my professors, especially Dr. Winslow, I just really fell in love with it even more,” Bartley said. “She has so much knowledge in the industry and so much experience, and she really prepped me for the public relations world and showed me a lot more of what it could be, a lot more of what I could do with it.”

Bartley has always been eager to take on new opportunities, including the Honors College study abroad trip to Italy in 2024.

“It was just so much fun getting to see all of Italy and experience that completely different culture,” Bartley said. “I’m Catholic, so seeing all those different Catholic churches, going to the Vatican, all of that was really cool for me as well.”

Wandering through Urbino’s winding streets, where the fictional world of Dante’s Inferno took place, brought her studies in Italian literature to life.

Although she was initially apprehensive about exploring a new country alone the summer after her first year of college, Bartley was grateful that her boyfriend, Kaden Rowland, had convinced her to go.

Bartley also encouraged Rowland when it came time to interview for his internship with Tarleton’s sports information department. They have been supporting each other through their college journey and bonding over a mutual love for golf and other sports for two years.

“I realized that she was very smart, and that kind of attracted me,” Rowland said. “Once you get to know her, she’s very fun to be around. She always wants to be doing something, like playing a game or something adventurous.”

In fact, restless for another adventure the summer after studying abroad, she applied for a PR internship with the Professional Golfers Association (PGA).

“I applied just on a whim and then they called me right away for an interview. I got the position, and it was, I will say, the best summer of my entire life working for them,” Bartley said. “I got to go to professional golf tournaments and work with the LPGA when they had their tournament come through and just meet all of these famous professional golfers that I’ve looked up to my whole life.”

All of these experiences brought Bartley to her current role, creating social media content for Tarleton’s Student Engagement and Success program.

“I’ve gotten to experience my senior year to the fullest while also getting to work at these events and take photos and meet other students from all different classifications. That’s really made my senior year feel even more full and exciting,” Bartley said.

After graduation, she has expressed her desire to stay in her current position.

“I love the people I work under. I work under Dr. Diana Ortega and Grace Lampo, and it’s so much fun getting to be at all the Tarleton events and around all the student voices while working those events,” Bartley said.

When she’s not golfing or embarking on her latest adventure, you can probably find her at a concert with her friends, crocheting or getting lost in a novel.

If there’s one thing that stands out aside from Bartley’s ambition, it’s her innate ability to make the most out of any experience and uplift the people around her. She’s equally passionate about capturing action—in student media or on the golf course—and creating her own moments with those she loves off the clock.

“She got me out of my shell and helped me enjoy life more. If we were at one of the on-campus concerts or something like that, and I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to dance,’ she’d grab me and we would start line dancing,” Bolin said. “I think I’ve learned a lot about not caring about what other people think and just having fun.”

Although Bartley only chose to submit one college application, she made the most out of her swing at education. And with all the stories she gained along the way, most people might even say she hit a hole-in-one.