This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mizzou chapter.
If you’re an MU student and haven’t hear of STRIPES, you’re probably living under a rock. Cody Swanson, junior, is the director of STRIPES, a program that gives safe rides home to MU students. Swanson is a bioengineering major from Oakville, Missouri, and along with STRIPES, is involved in many other organizations on campus.
Her Campus Mizzou: What does STRIPES stand for and what do you do as an organization?
Cody Swanson: STRIPES as an acronym stands for Supportive Tigers Riding In Pursuit of Ensuring Safety. Our organization’s mission statement is that STRIPES will provide safe and confidential rides home within the city of Columbia for any MU student and their guests, without judgment and at no cost to the patron. Additionally, STRIPES will create a unique opportunity for student volunteers to serve their peers, make a lasting impact and keep our campus and community safe.
HCM: Why did you decide to get involved in STRIPES?
CS: I personally wanted to get involved with STRIPES my freshman year here at Mizzou because I had always had an interest in the program. I was actually encouraged to apply by my PA, Liz Shumard, to get more involved with something on campus. Applying for STRIPES turned out to be the best decision that I had made coming to Mizzou, because it has led me to meet some of the best people I’ve ever known and has driven me to become the leader that I am today.
HCM: What is your favorite memory from STRIPES?
CS: My favorite memory of being a part of STRIPES actually dates back to my very first semester in the program. It was my second night volunteering and I was still really nervous about being new to the program. I was originally supposed to be selling baked goods for a bake sale put on by my floor to Support Relay for Life, but ended up not doing so because our plans had fallen through. Since I had all of these leftover cookies, cupcakes and other assorted baked goods that I had made myself in preparation for this bake sale with no one to eat them, I decided to bring them into STRIPES for the night and share them with all of the members. Needless to say I was pretty much the highlight of everyone’s night. From working that one night and seeing how incredible and accepting everyone was, it pushed me to work 11 nights rather than just the required five nights that we ask of our members.
HCM: How would a student looking to get involved in STRIPES do so?
CS: Any student looking to get involved in STRIPES can apply online through our main website at
stripes.missouri.edu and fill out our brief application. We’re currently accepting applications for the fall 2015 semester, however applications will be closing Sunday, April 12 at midnight. If anyone is looking to get involved with the organization though, they can feel free to email us at
stripes@missouri.edu and we will gladly help them to figure out when we will have applications opening up again for the spring 2015 semester.
HCM: Are you involved in any other organizations on campus?
CS: I am involved in quite a few other organizations on campus. In addition to being the director of STRIPES, I am a member of Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Service Fraternity, a peer advisor in Hudson Hall where I had taught an engineering FIG last semester, and just wrapped up being a site leader for an LGBTQ issues trip over spring break through Mizzou Alternative Breaks.
