Name: Megan Goss
Year: Senior
Major: Mass Communications – Creative Advertising with a minor in Psychology
Hometown: Woodbridge, VA
Dream job:
Opening my own gallery for my photography
Why did you choose VCU?
I transfered here because I love the city and they had a great art program, I ended up not getting accepted but I choose the next best thing, Advertising.
Why did you pick your major?
I applied for Photography and then when I didn’t get in I looked at my strengths and realized that I was good at reaching the masses and communicating. Also I could use my own knowledge and work in Advertising so I thought, why not?
Can you tell us more about the mission of your organization?
Where is the Line is a college based club with its roots in the nationally organization, Fear2Freedom, run by Rosemary Trible. She created the organization to help victims of sexual abuse get back on their feet and have hope in a brighter future. As a club, we have a big event once a year where we put together care-kits, or F2F kits, for adults and kids. We send the kits to MCV Hospital, where they give them to the victims after the PERK exam. In the kits, there is a brand new shirt, a pair of sweat pants, underwear, toothpaste, a tooth brush, a hair brush, a journal and the freedom bear that comes with his own story. Our big event is coming up April 8th, we plan on making 400 kits, 200 for adults and 200 for the kids.
What drives you to lead an organization for victims of sexual assault?
I went to an event held last year at MCV where I met Rosemary. She wanted to bring Where is the Line to VCU. I thought that it would be great to join an organization on campus, because I never really officially apart of one, so I put my email down on the lists. Over last summer, everyone who put their email down received an email asking for someone to take the lead and start the organization. When I got it, I didn’t think much and I simply responded saying I would do it. Since then, it has been a crazy and eye-opening experience that I would never change for the world. I have been able to see the club grow from just me, to about 25 people and more and more people have gained interest in helping out at our event. I think the main driver for me to continue with starting the organization was meeting Rosemary and hearing her story, and others stories, and just knowing that with starting this organization and making the F2F kits, I would help people overcome such horrific events in their life.
Can you tell us more about how we can support your organization or how we can get involved ourself?
On April 8th you can come out at 6:30 pm for our event! You can make a box and hear our speakers. We will also have door prizes for those who buy shirts and also other fun games. There will also be free food for anyone that comes out. If you would like to help out with the event we do need volunteers, if you need services hours this is a great way to pick up around 6-8 service hours. Also we need help fluffing the bears that go into the boxes. The club will meet up on Thursday and Sunday night to take care of making the boxes. Also if you have connections to getting other door prizes, stuff like gift cards and such, that would be great also. Just contact me through facebook or email, either one works.
Are there any other organizations you’re apart of on campus?
I am also apart of HerCampus, I write for their photo-blog about different places to visit around Richmond called Megan’s Map. Also as a club, Where’s the Line is pairing up with SAVES at their event, Take Back the Night, on April 17th.
Do you have plans for grad school?
I do, I have been contemplating on going to Grad School for Photography. As an undergrad, I was accepted into SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) and I choose to go to VCU because SACD was way too much money and I wanted to stay closer to home. However I was thinking about going there for Grad School. If not, I might spend a year or two going abroad with my job, or try to get a job with National Geographic and travel and take photos for them.
Finally, where do you hope to see yourself after college?
I hope to see myself in either New York or Savannah, possibly California or abroad somewhere, either taking photos or starting at a low level position at an advertising company.