All photos were taken by Kenyah Abdul Aleem
Please note: not all Her Campus UNT members were able to attend this team photoshoot. These photos depict 27 of our 41 members.
When I first started Her Campus UNT with my co-founder, Kayla Charles, we could have never imagined how quickly we would grow. I knew the drive of our female population, but I had no idea how many fellow students would support our ideals and values. Women leaders are constantly judged, looked down upon, and scrutinized far more than our male counterparts. This was the first, to my knowledge, all-female organization to grow on our campus. I was worried that students would twist our motives and make us out to be “feminazis” because of their pre-conceived notions.
It’s been a year since we started Her Campus UNT, though, and the feedback has been nothing but lovely, from both our members and non-members alike. “Her Campus UNT has hit every goal since the beginning,” Jade Jackson, a junior in the organization, said. “We’re a great bunch of young women leaders! I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.”
It was also highly important to us as a team that we reached beyond just our inner circle- especially to the male population to break down gender stereotypes and inform all students about women and our aspirations. “I think it’s dope that y’all can represent women in the business and journalism,” Drew Fisher, a sophomore at UNT, said. “It’s really cool to see such strong women standing up for what they believe in.”
Kayla and I have talked about countless times how we’ve wished to grow as a sisterhood and inspire confidence in our members. We like to think we’ve succeeded, at least a little bit, by our bonding activities and love for one another. “[Her Campus UNT] has given me confidence as a woman,” Bethany Wallace, a member of the org, stated. “It’s brought me out of my shell because I have never been more involved with another organization as I am in this one.”
One of the best things about being in Her Campus UNT is the ability to express yourself on our website, in whichever way you may please. I’ve always craved creative freedom that was never given to me in a standard classroom, and Her Campus UNT has allowed me to express that desire in the best way. “I love how we can write on anything, no matter how serious,” Leah Butler, another member, commented.
We’ve blossomed into an organization of 41 members, have received Student Org of the Month by UNT once, and almost have 1,000 followers on Twitter. It’s been a crazy ride, but we’ve loved it every second of it. “I’ve really enjoyed meeting so many inspiring women,” Marissa Ramirez smiled. “Everyone is determined to reach their long term goals. Together, there is a support network that we all can contribute to.”
Check back in Fall 2017 on how you, too, can join this amazing organization. We can’t wait to grow and expand!