Katie Dorsey is a planner. So much so that she sometimes maps out her day in five-minute increments. It’s a necessary skill for someone as busy as Dorsey, who’s juggling her responsibilities as a student-athlete on UVA’s Cross Country and Track & Field teams, alongside her coursework at McIntire School.
Dorsey’s meticulous planning isn’t only so that she can squeeze in as many activities as possible; it’s about making time for everything that matters to her, whether it’s hitting her academic goals, excelling in athletics, or staying connected to her many interests outside her commitments to the Comm School and athletics.
Coming from a small, close-knit family in Wilmington, DE, Dorsey was seeking a university experience offering strong academics, a supportive community, and an athletic program that felt like home. “I came to UVA because it has a good balance of everything,” she explains. “It had running, everything I was looking for academically, and a community,” she says.
Running with both UVA teams occupies a central part of Dorsey’s life throughout the year, and her commitment to those she runs with is evident in everything she does. The camaraderie she has found with her teammates mirrors the close-knit environment of her all-girls high school, where team culture remained a defining positive feature. “The main difference between UVA and all the other schools I looked at was really the team,” Dorsey says. “I was really looking for that same camaraderie, and UVA was the place where I felt it.”
But for Dorsey, being a student-athlete encompasses more than training and competing; it embodies having a driving force. Her father’s advice to “walk with a purpose” is a guiding principle that informs her approach to everything she does, from academics to athletics to personal pursuits. “Having a goal with—no matter what it is—academics, running, or my friends—just always having something to work towards,” she says. This sense of purpose drives her to connect deeply with her teammates, with the recognition that the strength of the team comes from those shared goals and mutual support.
Finding a Calling in Business
Initially a Kinesiology major because of her curiosity about sports medicine, she would ultimately find a calling in business after exploring McIntire’s curriculum. The School’s focus on combining analytical problem-solving with creative thinking appealed to both sides of her brain. “It offers both of my sides of my brain to work together,” she says. “I have a big creative side, but I’ve also been really good at math and problem-solving. Marketing and entrepreneurship allow both brains to work together.”
On top of that, she’s pursuing a minor in Spanish and in Public Policy. “I have a lot of different interests, so it’s hard to pinpoint one thing I really want to focus on,” she admits. But for now, her primary focus within McIntire leans toward marketing, particularly strategic brand consulting, where she’s eager to blend creativity with analytical rigor and to be a part of the Promotions class.
When she’s not running or studying, Dorsey is actively involved in several extracurricular activities. She serves on the 2026 Class Council and engages in various business clubs, including the Advertising and Marketing Association and the Phi Chi Theta business fraternity. She has even started her own chapter of The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, a Wilmington-based organization that raises awareness and funds for childhood cancer in honor of the 14-year-old who inspired others with his positivity.
Entrepreneurship also features prominently in her life. Dorsey runs her own painting business, MKD Creates, making custom-painted canvases, shoes, and other products. While she primarily works on these projects during the summer and holiday breaks, the business is an outlet for her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.
Katie Dorsey and her older sister Ally co-founded an apparel company called Shop 1515, named after their childhood address.
In addition, she and her older sister Ally co-founded an apparel company called Shop 1515, named after their childhood address. The sisters design and produce custom sweatshirts and t-shirts, often featuring map designs that represent people’s homes away from home with the motto, “This Must Be the Place.” Though the collaboration has been fun for them, it’s also proven challenging, with Dorsey at UVA and her sister working full time as a nurse. “It gets a little hectic to schedule and communicate the particulars,” she says, but the rewards of working on a shared project with her sister make it worthwhile.
The micro-planning starts to make more sense when you consider Dorsey’s extensive list of obligations. She acknowledges that carving out the time for everything was daunting, especially when she came to Grounds. “Finding a balance was definitely hard coming into college because there was just so much to see and explore,” she says. But once she found her rhythm, the consistency of her running routine helped her manage everything else. “It really made it easier to figure out my days and bring everything together.”
Looking ahead, Dorsey remains open to even more opportunities. While she’s still exploring what her professional life might look like, she’s confident that her time at the Comm School will help her find a fitting avenue. “I’m definitely using McIntire as a test ground. But I think working in marketing or having some type of creative side of business would be my goal,” she says, pausing momentarily, knowing that her future is yet to be marked out so definitively. She realizes that her current purpose is to determine the path she’d like to pursue beyond the trails and tracks she’s running with her UVA teammates.
“Ask me again in a year,” Dorsey says about her possible career, smiling widely.
