Meet our amazing campus celebrity Alicia Gerin! Alicia is a Campus Rep for Love Your Melon, and has done a lot of other great work around campus. Read more about her here!
Her Campus: Tell us about yourself!
Alicia Gerin: I’m a junior majoring in Financial Planning and Analysis and minoring in Business. I came to school thinking I wanted to go into Special Education, but I am still able to partake in different organizations here at the University of Illinois and at home. I’m from River Forest, IL and I went to both Fenwick and Oak Park River Forest. I wouldn’t necessarily say I have specific hobbies, but I love to be with my friends and family, volunteering, playing soccer and keeping busy!
HC: Can you tell us about your work at Love Your Melon? How did you get the position?
AG: Love Your Melon (LYM) is an apparel brand run by college students across the country on a mission to give a hat to every child battling cancer in America. Love Your Melon has reserved more than 45,000 hats to donate to children battling cancer in the United States through its original buy one, give one program, which is equal to the number of children currently undergoing cancer treatment in the country. Sophie Lanser, a friend and fellow member of Gamma Phi Beta, started the U of I Love Your Melon campus crew about a year ago. I heard about it through word of mouth and knew I really wanted to be apart of something so wonderful and meaningful. I am currently just a campus crewmember that helps spread the word and mission of LYM.
HC: What was the best part about working with that organization?
AG: Love Your Melon has allowed me to become more knowledgeable about the lives of children and families who are affected by cancer. Being able to put a smile on a child’s face by giving them one of our hats is an amazing experience. The best part of working with LYM is being able to witness a child’s day being made firsthand during our donation events. At these events, we (the crew members) dress as superheroes and are able to pass out the hats that we donated to children and teenagers at Loyola University Hospital. I look forward to selling enough hats to be able to go back for another donation event soon!
HC: What other internships and related jobs have you had?
AG: I have had internships at AXA Equitable Financial Services, Franklin Wealth Advisors and Chicago Partners Wealth Advisors, all-pertaining to my major, Financial Planning and Analysis. The reason this major was so appealing to me was because it will allow me to work with people that need my help. I would be working with families and companies to analyze their portfolios to see how to invest their money. I love the part of working with people and helping them with a huge aspect of their lives.
HC: How do you think this internship will help you with your goals after school?
AG: Love Your Melon has allowed me to learn and understand how to treat people in general. Not only am I able to go in and visit the children battling some kind of cancer, but I am able to help their families as well. We have partnered with the Pinky Swear Foundation to provide immediate support for children battling cancer and with CureSearch for Children’s Cancer to fund research initiatives to beat childhood cancer completely. Love Your Melon has launched a new model to replace its buy one, give one program – 50% of net proceeds on every Love Your Melon product sold will be donated to the Pinky Swear Foundation and CureSearch. Being a LYM crew member has allowed me to open my eyes to how I plan on treating and helping my future clients.