Meet Lizzie Kaplan: a senior at Connecticut College who’s agenda is always booked with fun activities that give back to the community. Whether it’s on stage performing in the Vagina Monologues or promoting at the Admission’s Office, you’ll find Lizzie hard at work with a great smile on her face!
Tell us about your experience as a PICA scholar: The Holleran Center (and it’s PICA program) is one of the big reasons why I decided to come to Conn! Being part of the senior PICA class has been really inspiring. All of my classmates are working on projects that are incredibly interesting and important in today’s world. I am so excited to be in the program with such intelligent and dedicated individuals- these are the people who are going to be changing the world, just wait and see! PICA has really guided my course of study at this college, and I am grateful to all the advising that I have received as I become more and more interested in women’s reproductive health & reproductive rights.
What has been your favorite part of being part of the Safety Net Project? Darcie Folsom arrived at Conn when I was a freshman, and she has served as a huge inspiration for me throughout my time at Conn. When she launched her SafetyNet peer education group, I couldn’t help but feed off of her unbelievable energy and get excited about all of her initiatives on campus. Being a part of SafetyNet is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at Conn because the programs that we do are so popular and well received by the campus community. How great is it that Conn has over 300 Green Dot grads?! You go, Camels.
How did you first get involved in Vagina Monologues? During the fall of my freshman year, I met another female student who was really involved in the VMs. She encouraged me to audition, and ever since then I’ve been completely addicted to the empowering feeling that the show gives off and the sisterhood that it encourages. Our school has a rich history of strong, independent women and this show is a perfect way to showcase that tradition. The Vagina Monologues have become an incredibly special part of my Conn experience and I can’t imagine these past four years without them. Some of my best friends have been made through the show, my confidence has grown, and I am so excited to be co-producing this year with another true campus celebrity, Lucy Wallace!
What has been one of your funniest/funnest Vagina Monologues moments? The Vagina Monologues always provide tons of funny moments and awkward interactions, especially during the rehearsal period. When I was a sophomore, I was cast in a monologue called “My Angry Vagina,” which involves a TON of swearing and yelling. We had nowhere private to rehearse, so our director ended up making us run through it in the middle of Cro. People were sitting around quietly, trying to do their homework and talk with their friends and I was at the top of the stairs yelling “Vagina” and all sorts of expletives at the top of my lungs. It was then that I realized that you can’t have any shame with this show! You just gotta embrace it all.
What drew you to be part of groups and projects that focus on healthy relationships and female empowerment? I have had no shortage of amazing female role models in my life (HI MOM!). Sisterhood (whether you’re actually related or not) is a strong, strong thing and can really make amazing things happen. I am a firm believer in the bonds between women and the potential for incredible things to take place when we all join forces and conquer adversity together. WIth that being said, I am also lucky to have some awesome men in my life (HI DAD!) who are incredibly supportive and understanding of everything that I do. Did I mention my twin brother and dad sat through two performances of The Vagina Monologues without even flinching?
Favorite Book: Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
Favorite Movie: Rain Man and The Lion King
Life Motto: “What would Kate Middleton do?”