Name: Julia Watson
Year: Junior
Hometown: Sherborn, Massachusetts
Major: Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies
Claim to Fame: ASG President
How did you first get involved with ASG?
I joined ASG Public Relations Committee the spring of my freshman year. I had spent fall and winter quarter of freshman year working on marketing committees for several different organizations but I was looking to join a service organization since I was heavily involved in community service throughout high school. One of my good friends who I met in my freshman year dorm (NMQ!) introduced me to her Peer Adviser, Brad Stewart, who was running for Executive Vice President. He asked if I would be interested in designing a graphic for their campaign which turned into all sorts of various marketing materials. What I really got out of the campaign, however, was the exposure to a group of students who deeply cared about Northwestern. They became mentor figures for me throughout my freshman and sophomore years. As a result, I saw ASG as an opportunity to give back to my community. Specifically, the Public Relations committee allowed me to utilize my technical marketing skills and also work on campus-wide issues.
What’s your favorite aspect of ASG?
Most recently, I would say that my favorite aspect of ASG is how we work on both internal and external projects. ASG is not only accountable for maintaining an engaged Senate and productive committees, but also for addressing the concerns of the greater student body. While I have spent this past year as the Vice President of Public Relations finding gratification in leading a committee that has designed and implemented several successful projects, I am looking forward to engaging more with the communities at Northwestern outside of ASG.
What are your personal goals in seeing Northwestern change?
Erik and I made sure that our platform reflected not our personal goals but rather the goals of the students, student groups, and administrators whom we met with. As a result, we can’t wait to get started on these projects that students care about. I am most excited about our “Accessibility” and “Participation” sections of our platform. I believe we can do more to make students feel part of the Northwestern community and that really starts with getting more undergraduate voices heard.
What else are you involved with on campus besides ASG?
I certainly spend the most time on my ASG responsibilities, but I’m also a Tour Guide and in Mayfest.
Do you have any female role models?
Yes! My ultimate role model is Hillary Clinton. She’s bright, motivated, hard-working and has great character. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler also are great examples of women with integrity. On a deeper level, however, there have been several female role models here at Northwestern who have been mentors to me. I can name at least a dozen senior women who have inspired me and other members of the Northwestern community to be better people.