damircudic/iStock(LAFAYETTE, La.) — A college senior who applied to the wrong college was gifted a free trip to visit the campus due to her fateful mistake — and the power of Twitter.
Kaitlynn Lovelady, a senior at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, initially thought she wasted the $40 application fee when she made the blunder and applied for summer classes at Salt Lake Community College in Utah instead of South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette.
I just applied to SLCC for summer class only to realize it’s Salt Lake Community College in SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH instead of SOUTH LOUISIANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE. GOODBYE $40!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Kaitlynn A. Lovelady (@KaitlynnLovelad) February 27, 2019
Lovelady’s tweet caught the attention of both schools, who then began to compete for her attendance. Salt Lake Community College even offered to refund her the application fee, but she would later find out that it wasn’t a waste after all.
For the record, Kaitlynn, Salt Lake Comminity College and our gorgeous mountains welcome you. But if you decide to geaux (see what we did there?) to the other SLCC, we would gladly refund you for your application fee.
— Salt Lake CC (@SaltLakeCC) March 1, 2019
It’s so much warmer here! See you on campus soon!
— SLCC (@southlacc) February 28, 2019
Yes it’s crazy. I got one school who started a hashtag #KeepKaitlynnInLA & the other #RecruitKaitlynn
— Kaitlynn A. Lovelady (@KaitlynnLovelad) March 2, 2019
Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and the Utah National Guard even got in on the recruiting action.
Kaitlynn, we don’t know each other…but trust me when I tell you that might be the best $40 you’ve ever spent!
(And I’ve been in Southern LA in the summer…I promise you’ll enjoy our dry heat better. ) https://t.co/82U3SBiyIz
— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) March 1, 2019
Best mistake you’ll ever make.
— Utah National Guard (@UTNationalGuard) March 1, 2019
Two days after she alerted the world to her gaffe, Lovelady tweeted that she would consider a trip to Utah if someone was willing to pay for her flight.
Lovelady got her wish when a Utah businessman, who wished to remain anonymous, offered to pay for her flight, ABC Lafayette affiliate KATC reported.
On Friday, she boarded her first-ever flight from New Orleans to Salt Lake City and documented each leg of her trip along the way.
Ok but this view pic.twitter.com/Xm5C1zZLjf
— Kaitlynn A. Lovelady (@KaitlynnLovelad) April 13, 2019
Go to Utah to eat ice cram the size of our head?! No problem pic.twitter.com/bG32qFT24E
— Brooke Miramon (@brookemiramon1) April 14, 2019
#fakespringbreak pic.twitter.com/mSUSskTaw0
— Brooke Miramon (@brookemiramon1) April 13, 2019
Photos shared by the Salt Lake Community College show a smiling Lovelady as she tours the campus.
Thanks for visiting SLCC, @KaitlynnLovelad! Safe travels back to Louisiana. Know you are always welcome back to campus, no matter where you geaux! pic.twitter.com/9WZKrzBMOh
— Salt Lake CC (@SaltLakeCC) April 15, 2019
Lovelady returned to Louisiana on Monday. Still no word on what her plans for summer classes are, but it looks like she has a tough decision to make.
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