Danielle Fortin is a junior in the communication program at Lasell but this does not end her involvement on campus at all. She’s also an R.A for a dorm hall on campus, part of Lasell’s volunteer group Lasell Says Thank You (LSTY), the president and founder of She’s the First Lasell, and is apart of the revitalization effort for Habitat for Humanity on campus. Danielle also recently began tutoring for America Reads through Lasell’s Community Based Learning Center.
HC: What pushed you to start “She’s the First” at Lasell?
DF: I was inspired to start She’s the First Lasell (STF) because of their amazing work with the Arlington Academy of Hope(AAH). Many chapters of STF sponsor students who go to school at Arlington’s school in Uganda. Having volunteered through the AAH and seeing the amazing work they do, I figured starting a chapter to sponsor students would be a perfect way to make a bigger impact in the small rural village.
HC: What do you hope to accomplish in the next year with She’s the First?
DF: We hope to sponsor at least one girl by the end of this semester. Within the next year, we hope to promote our club and have a bigger presence on campus. I would like to inspire many students on campus to support our cause and see how important we could collectively be in a young girl’s life.
HC: What’s one piece of advice you have for incoming freshmen?
DF: Don’t be scared to get involved and speak up. Freshman year I joined a bunch of clubs, but only recently found my voice to have an actual impact. I wish I was as confident, vocal, and persistent in everything I do on campus now.