If you want to meet somebody who clearly knows how to get involved and manage time, meet Frances Lussier.
Frances is currently a senior here at Siena, with a major in environmental science, expecting to graduate in May of 2018. Although Frances is looking to graduate at Siena, she is not a traditional student, having transferred from a college that she says did not feel like home. Fortunately for her, she stepped foot on Siena’s campus, and got that wonderful feeling of home, like when she’s with her family in Westfield, Massachusetts. When I asked Frances why she chose Siena, she said, “From the moment I walked on campus, the college felt like home. Everyone was so friendly and held the doors. The campus was very green and welcoming. Their mission and values align with who I am, and this college has turned out to be my home and second family.
As fellow Siena collegiettes, we know that wonderful feeling all too well and are very thankful that we’ll be able to call this our alma mater.
When it comes to on-campus involvement, Frances has her hands full with leadership roles that make her the responsible and dependable go-getter I know her to be. For starters, she is the Chapter President of Siena’s National Society of Leadership and Success. This is a club that revolves around academic accomplishments, community service and networking with professionals across the country. Frances is also what people at Siena College know as a SAINT, specifically a New Commuter/Transfer Student Orientation Leader, through the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development. In this role, Frances helps the new students that come to Siena during the summer, being their main resource and comforting their every need, all so that they can feel at home like she does. One of the most unique positions Frances has is being the Student Director of Operations for the Siena College Men’s Club Hockey Team. For this, she helps manage the schedule and keep track of statistics, among other responsibilities. The next position Frances holds couldn’t be more fitting for her open-minded, loving and accepting personality – a Solidarity Advisor through the Damietta Cross-Cultural Center. This position allows Frances to help people think about and recognize the negative aspects of society that often lead to oppressing certain groups of people, helping them learn how to create a more positive and friendly environment for everyone. Because Frances loves Siena and the opportunities it has given her, she can’t help but want to give back by being a phone-a-thon caller through the Alumni Office for the Annual Fund.
It’s no secret that what Frances does on-campus is…well, A LOT. But that doesn’t stop her from off-campus involvement. Frances is an Event Associate for TheListAreYouOnIt.com. For this, Frances attends events and uses social media to help market the company. She does site maintenance like writing and editing, building her communication and technology skills. Frances also helps and welcomes guests at the radio show Foodie and the Beast DC. Aside from interning for this company, Frances loves volunteering, community service being a prominent aspect of her life. She volunteers at a local soup kitchen and homeless shelter, serving the hungry and helping teen mothers and their children. Frances also taught CCD, an after-school religious education program that helps students towards communion and confirmation. Another thing Frances does (which we all need to do), is simply picking up trash outside daily. The biggest differences start with the smallest changes, and Frances takes pride in this belief, doing everything she can (big or small) to make the world a better place.
For professional and work experience, Frances does it all. She has been a Food Assessment Associate Intern for Capital Roots through AmeriCorps VISTA, Development Intern for the Environmental & Energy Study Institute in Washington, D.C., cashier at Sunoco Gas Station, cashier at Price Rite Grocery Store, housekeeper for the Great White Cleaning Company, Site Coordinator for the Meelia Center for Community Engagement, a sandwich maker at Subway, and an employee at Stay and Play Deluxe Laundromat. I don’t even know what to say after listing all that other than, “you go, girl!”
When it comes to education, Siena College isn’t the only thing in her books. Frances attended the School of International Training during Study Abroad in Spring 2016, American University during Study Abroad in Fall 2016, and the School of Professional and Extended Studies during her Washington Semester Program, where she received a certificate. She was also accepted into the International Honors Program where she participated in Climate Change: The Politics of Food, Water, and Energy, having traveled to one new state, six countries and four continents, in 115 days. Frances’ future goals include teaching and volunteering anywhere in the world and attending graduate school to get her masters degree in environmental education and start her own NGO.
Although Frances works way more than most college-aged students, work isn’t all she does. Frances told me some of her hobbies; “In my free time, I love to read books, hike, ski, canoe, travel, go on road trips and spend time with family.”
My question to Frances is, what free time are you talking about exactly? But even though Frances is clearly a superhuman, she has a few human qualities about her and those hobbies are some of them. Overall, I think we can agree that Frances is AWESOME.
Thank you, Frances, for all you do and keep being a powerful force!