Name: Lauren LaMontagne 

Major: News and Media Studies 

Hometown: Laguna Beach, California  

Lauren LaMontagne is not one to be tied down to anything. She loves to keep her options open and take advantage of any new opportunities that come her way. That being said, deciding on a major was a challenge for LaMontagne. Her indecisive nature hindered her from choosing a path for her occupation, so she sought help by taking a career match test in her first semester of college, only to find out she was destined to be a… bartender. Beyond that, the career results following were all centered around journalism. LaMontagne had a love for writing since she was a child. Her dad always raved about how she gave the best birthday cards and had the most well-written notes. LaMontagne’s options all seemed to lead back to writing, and she now finds herself as a News and Media major at TCU. Her ability to find her true passion for journalism lead her to the books instead of the bars!  

LaMontagne knows she is not destined to be a reporter but would be more fit for a position along the lines of public relations or marketing. If she had to apply for one job right now it would be an editor for TIME magazine. And if there was an article in TIME magazine all about LaMontagne, it would highlight the adventurous childhood she had. At age seven, LaMontagne and her family traveled for 10 months to 28 different countries. They left all forms of communication at home and only contacted people via internet cafes. They traveled by plane, train and RVs, and the most time they spent in one place was a month. By no means was this a vacation for them. It was a chance to try new things, meet new people and see new places. LaMontagne’s parents required the kids to learn to say, “hello,” “goodbye,” “please” and “thank you” in every language of the places they visited. In Switzerland, they stayed at a family chateau that was decorated with their ancestors all over the walls. During their stay in Austria, they danced to the “Sound of Music” in the fields of Salzburg. In Thailand, they rode elephants, which then became her favorite animal. She spent her seventh birthday in Spain where they watched a European fountain show and rode in a horse–drawn carriage.   

Although she was homeschooled during this period, LaMontagne says she learned more during this trip than any other educational experience. “This trip shaped me because it affected how I viewed life and revealed new perspectives to me. It was an opportunity to try new things, taste new things, accept new things,” she said. “I’ve had a much more open mindset because of that. There’s more to life than the bubble we had always lived in.” 

LaMontagne has a strong connection with her aunt, the person she says has had the most impact on the strong-willed and confident woman she is today. Aunt Anne inspired LaMontagne’s father to lead his family through their world-traveling escapades. The qualities LaMontagne has gained from her Aunt Anne are her curiosity, adventurous spirit, selfless heart and dedication to teaching herself new things. LaMontagne also described her aunt as proactive, independent, perseverant and a busybody. “She has climbed so many mountains, trekked through Swiss Alps, takes weekly art classes, taught herself how to play piano and even how to speak French. Her motivation makes me want to push myself to achieve anything I want to.” 

Being surrounded by people who provided opportunities for LaMontagne to expand her world view allowed her to realize there is not only one way to live life. Through the influences of her aunt, her father and the rest of her family, LaMontagne has been challenged to learn through experience and develop new skills and knowledge. She has gained a deeper sense of satisfaction with the new skills and insights she learned from being abroad.  

Click here to learn more about the Journalism major at TCU.