If you told me you didn’t know who Ashly Uss was, I would question whether or not you truly go to Emmanuel. As a S.A.G.E. Coordinator, two-time Orientation Leader, peer leader for the EC Leadership Academy, and all-around amazing person, Ashly is someone you should definitely get to know. I had the pleasure of working with her on this year’s Orientation team and I can say from experience that she is one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met. Her smile is contagious, she simply radiates postive energy, and she never fails to make me laugh. With all of these incredible qualities, it seems only fitting that Ashly would be asked to present at the United Nations on National Peace Day. I wanted to know more about this amazing honor and everything else that’s going on her life, so I asked. Keep reading to find out what she answered…
Ashly (left) and I at this year’s Orientation Leader banquet
HCE: Hi Ashly! How is everything? How are classes going so far this semester?
Ashly: Hi there! I am well! I’m loving all of my classes so far, although my Poetry Writing class is definitely my favorite so far!
HCE: I’m curious, how did you settle on your major? [Ashly is a double major in Sociology and English Writing and Lit.]
Ashly: [Laughs] Well, the adventure toward discovering the right major has definitely had its ups and downs. I started college a whole hearted science kid, but I realized along the way that there were ways to combine my goals and dreams into other majors.
HCE: What do you plan to do with your degree after college?
Ashly: I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to use my degrees. The current plan is to volunteer with either Americorps or the Peace Corps. I’m excited to see where I’ll be two years from now!
HCE: So, tell me a little bit about your involvement on campus. What are you up to this year?
Ashly: This year, I’ve really tried to narrow down my involvement to the things I’m most passionate about. I’m a member of the four year service program, and a volunteer at Saint Ambrose family shelter. I’m also an office assistant for the Office of New Student Engagment and Transition, and a S.A.G.E. Coordinator. In addition, I’m a peer leader for the EC Leadership Academy, and hoping to be involved with the Orientation program and the Alternative Spring Break program throughout this year as well.
HCE: What is the most important thing you’ve learned throughout your involvement on campus?
Ashly: Carpe Diem! There are a ton of sleepless nights and stressful days of projects and meetings, but it has always been worth it. There’s not a single thing I regret being involved with, and I’m not sure I’ve met anyone who can say with confidence that they regret being given an opportunity. Follow your ambition. There’s a light that ignites when you hear of an opportunity or get a chance to experience something important. Follow that light and seize the day!
HCE: That’s amazing! On a similar note, what’s your motto in life?
Ashly: Well, my general life motto is “follow your bliss”. Especially considering the six different majors I’ve had and the things I’ve been involved with, it’s really relevant. People will tell you to stay organized, to keep a planner and to spend X number of hours studying each week. While those are great tips, what’s worked for me is simply following my bliss. I tend to hop on board with anything and everything that brings me bliss, and I hope I never lose that!
HCE: You announced on Facebook that you’ll be presenting yout peace project, BookShare, at the United Nations on National Peace Day. That’s incredible! Tell me more about how this opportunity arose.
Ashly: Thanks for the support! I’m very surprised with how proud and supportive people at Emmanuel have been. Dr. Kriz, of the sociology department, reached out to me about an opportunity to attend a conference at the UN. I knew immediately that I wanted to attend, but when she passed along information about the Peace Projects, I knew I had to submit a proposal. The theme of the conference is “dignity for all”, which was super applicable to a lot of what I studied in Dr. Kriz’s Sustainable Development course. I decided to work towards “dignity for all by 2030” with BookShare, a system of putting college students in contact with one another to help reduce the economic costs of textbooks, and the environmental damage of printing paper textbooks.
HCE: Wow, what an inspiring idea! What do you plan to accomplish with BookShare?
Ashly: My goal is to make education more accessible and equitable. There are often times where professors or advisors assume that because students are financing an education, they have some means of purchasing books. My experience with purchasing textbooks, along with that of many students I’ve spoken with, has been very anxiety provoking and stressful. The reserve system at the library is awesome in theory, but there are sadly a few too many times where textbooks aren’t available. My hope is that I can develop a system that allows students to share the cost of the books in an organized and effective way. When you think about it from a sustainability point of view, there is no need for 24 students to each have a copy of a textbook. It’s excessive!
HCE: What does this opportunity mean to you? How do you think it will affect your life and the lives of others?
Ashly: This opportunity is a profound blessing. I’m emotional just thinking about the gratitude I have for Dr. Kriz and for the people on campus who support and help me in somewhat a relentless way. While I am stoked to have this experience, what matters most is that I get the chance to make things different. This world is messy and chaotic; there are some things that an individual being cannot solve. This opportunity gives me a framework to advocate for students, and a chance to work to produce a feasible and relatively simple solution.
HCE: If you could give one piece of advice to our readers, what would it be?
Ashly: “Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world”- The Dead