Is there a typical day in the life of Daphne Davalie? Not quite. You might find her in the hip Brooklyn enclave of Williamsburg, working on a photo shoot with the latest rap megastar. Or “pulling the clothes” from a designer showroom for an upcoming shoot with a supermodel. Or, yes, in a journalism class at Rutgers–Newark. Such is the life of Daphne, who balances a part-time job as an assistant fashion editor at a cutting-edge fashion and lifestyle magazine with her studies at Rutgers.

Her friends tell her they never see her, that she’s always on the run, that she’s just so crazy busy. “But I don’t feel it,” says Daphne, who lives on campus and commutes to TRACE magazine, which is based in New York. “I’m on the go, and I’m happy with it. It doesn’t feel like work. It doesn’t feel like I’m going too fast.”

Daphne, who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, did not have a typical path to Rutgers. Before selecting the journalism program here, she attended a local university in her native New Orleans and a drama school in New York City. She was here when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. As the flood waters rose, her family left their home in Orleans Parish, fleeing to Mississippi. For days, Daphne was unable to contact her family. She drew comfort from her community of friends at Rutgers–Newark and in New York. Her family is now living in Atlanta.

Daphne thrives in Rutgers–Newark’s close-knit environment. “Rutgers was the right choice for me because it’s small enough where my professors can take time with me,” says Daphne, who is the recipient of the Kenneth Alvord Award given to a graduating senior in journalism. “I enjoy the closeness, the sense of community, and the fact that I’m around people I know that also know me.”

And Daphne is staying as busy as ever. Through her work at TRACE, Daphne appeared as one of three judges on a cable TV fashion reality show, My Model Looks Better Than Your Model, on BET J, part of Black Entertainment Television. In the show, the judges assess style-conscious contestants who have the chance to plan and art direct a photo shoot with a top fashion photographer. The show gave her a whole new view into the TV industry, as well as perks like car service and hairstyling. “That was a whole lot of fun,” she says.

Her work at TRACE involves “styling”—that is, helping to prepare for photo shoots by working with photographers and visiting designer showrooms to “pull the clothes” for models and celebrities. She has had the chance to work with rappers Eve and Missy Elliott, America’s Next Top Model winner Eva Pigford, and supermodel Iman, among others. The experience has been an education in itself, teaching her about the inner workings of fashion magazines, photo shoots, and the world of style and glamour. After she graduates, she plans on continuing to work in the arena of fashion editorial. “It’s opened me up a lot creatively,” Daphne says. “Once you get into it, it’s a life-changing thing. You don’t want to stop. You’re so motivated, you just want to do it.”