Year: Senior
Major: Public Relations and Advertising and Politial Science
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Lana Barendse has been thoroughly involved on campus over her past four years at Chapman. Heavily involved with Greek Life on campus, she first served as V.P. Panhellenic before serving as the president of her sorority, Delta Gamma, for the Spring and Fall terms of 2014. Lana worked as a Student Ambassador and as a senator for the Student Government Association, as well as volunteered as an Orientation Assistant for three years. She was a member of University Program Board for two consecutive years and worked as the Public Relations director for the National Student Advertising Competition. Lana was chosen to be an Admissions Fellow and currently serves as a tour guide for the Admissions Office.
We sat down with Lana to dicuss her experiences at Chapman and why she was chosen to be Her Campus Chapman’s first Woman of the Week.
Who is your biggest role model and why?
My biggest role models are the women I choose to surround myself with, whether it’s people in my sorority or just on the Chapman campus. My best friends Sadie Reeves and Samantha Cressey—they are women who really live out their values and inspire everyone around them, and I have learned so much from my friendships with them.
What are some of your short term goals after college?
I will be traveling the United States and Canada next year, serving as a collegiate development consultant for Delta Gamma, so I’ll be on a different college campus every week meeting with Delta Gamma women and working with their chapters for betterment and encouraging them to become the best versions of themselves.
Long term goals?
I am still figuring that out and have definitely come to terms with the fact that it’s entirely okay not to have an exact plan. I do know that I am interested in student affairs, especially on the admissions side, as well as public relations, whether it’s in a corporate or non-profit setting.
Do you have any advice you would like to give to Chapman students about making the most of their time here?
It’s so cliché but it really does go by so quickly, so make the most of every moment. I always say what you put into something is what you get out of it. College is definitely about academics but also what happens outside of the classroom, too. At the end of the day, you’re going to remember those moments with your friends or being involved with different things on campus over anything else. Also, do things that make you uncomfortable, because that’s where you are going to find the most opportunities for growth.
What does happiness mean to you?
I believe happiness is not a destination; it’s a journey. Happiness is realizing that every day might not be good but that there is good in every day.
What kind of attributes do you think make a successful leader?
Someone who doesn’t demand things of others, but inspires others around them to want to accomplish goals on their own. A leader is someone who is also a servant; and what I mean by that is a leader should put their own needs and wants aside and realize that the overall good of the group is what is most important.
Are there any women that come to mind that you think had a significant impact on you?
I would say my mom has had the biggest impact on my life, because of the way that she loves everyone so wholeheartedly and puts others before herself. I would also say my best friend Olivia del Rio. Even though she’s younger than me, I look up to her and she’s made an impact on me because of her passion for life and the way that she treats others with such kindness and respect.
What do you think being an empowered woman means in our modern culture?
To me, being an empowered woman means that you know your own, while also inspiring others to realize their own beauty and amazing qualities. I think being an empowered woman means that you do the right thing even if you know it’s not the easiest thing, and you stand up for others when they can’t stand up for themselves.
Do you have a favorite quote that you feel all women should hear?
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou