Rose basketball highlights
WED. |5-7-25| FEATURES
Like father, like daughter -- junior Lorian McGillicuddy follows her dad’s Key Club legacy. McGillicuddy first joined Key Club during her sophomore year, sparking her interest in serving the community, which has quickly become something much deeper.
In March of 2025, McGillicuddy was elected the District 15 Lieutenant Governor for Carolinas Key Club. She is following in the exact footsteps that her father once took when he held the same position decades before. These shared experiences, although separated by generations, show that her dad’s passion carries on through McGillicuddy.
“I didn’t even know my dad was a lieutenant governor until a year ago,” McGillicuddy said. “I had been in Key Club for two years before he told me.”
McGillicuddy is also involved in many other clubs at Rose, but Key Club stands out to her the most. Key Club is an organization that stretches nationwide, teaching students everywhere leadership through service.
Contributed photo
“It’s not about credit or boosting your own resume, it’s about helping others,” McGillicuddy said. “I really enjoyed not just participating in the service but also the community and family I found with it.”
After being president of Rose Key Club, McGillicuddy has advanced to the role of lieutenant governor. She wanted to do more than help people around her community, but also help people all around the country.
“I wanted to take that to the next level and help not just my own school, but clubs across Pitt County and
beyond,” McGillicuddy said.
Her journey to becoming lieutenant governor was shaped by her father, who held this same title in a time without the ease of email or Canva. He crafted newsletters by hand and then personally delivered them to schools. Today, even though the tools have changed, his hard work still lives through McGillicuddy on a daily basis.
“Compared to now, it took a lot more effort,” McGillicuddy said. “But it’s cool to see how far we’ve come and how much has stayed the same.” Their bond runs so much deeper than just Key Club. Her dad has always been her biggest role model, and she strives to be like him every day.
“He’s so charismatic and lights up a room in two seconds,” McGillicuddy said. “He’s always been my role model, I want to live up to the impact he made.”
McGillicuddy recently attended the Key Club District Convention, where her legacy was already unfolding. McGillicuddy often overheard whispers of her last name from members all around.
“Some people were talking about there being a girl here whose dad was lieutenant governor, and I just had to sit there,” McGullicuddy said. “[His legacy] gave me a name for myself and... the opportunity to have an icebreaker in the future.”
For McGillicuddy, it’s more than just about the legacy. She is driven by her passion for serving others, which has shaped her path both in and outside of Key Club. Carrying this passion into her future career will help her make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
“I want to serve the community, and I want to do a job that is centered around serving others,” McGullicuddy said.
She is inspired by her dad and wants to possibly go into the same field he is in. His job is in sales, where he helps other people every day.
“Similar to my dad’s [job], I want to do more sales and business route,” McGillicuddy said.
