Meet Lianne Donohue, this week’s Campus Celebrity here at CUA. Lianne is currently a Sophomore and is working towards her degree in marketing at the business school. Apart from her school work she is Co-Chair/Vice President of an amazing program here at CUA called Relay for Life. Below we talk about all the details of the big event coming up in April (mark your calendars for April 17th), so you will want to stay tuned for that! Other than being a diligent student and running a huge club on campus, Lianne is one of my closest friends. Read on so you can get to know the New Jersey native, and someone who has one of the biggest hearts I know, a little bit better!
Her Campus: So Lianne, thanks for sitting down and talking to me today! I want to start off with some quick questions so people can get to know you!
Lianne: Alright, sounds good!
HC: For starters, where are you from? And why did you choose to call CUA your home for your college years?
Lianne: I’m from Middletown, NJ (right by the Shore!). I love Catholic’s size and location. DC is unlike any other city, and it’s difficult to find a school that has a campus feel while still located in one of the best cities in America. Plus it’s convenient to get anywhere from here!
HC: Sounds amazing! Considering you were so close to NYC, did you go there often? Or did you stick to the shore?
Lianne: I’d like to think I balance the two, but I spend as much time at the beach as possible during the summer, because after college, who knows if I’ll have the beach 15 minutes away! NYC will always be my favorite city though, and I definitely plan on living there as soon as possible.
HC: Speaking of the city, I saw how you recently went up there to visit the New York Stock Exchange! Tell us a little bit about that whole experience.
Lianne: The School of Business and Economics has an annual event entitled “CUA on Wall Street” and a select group of students spend the day in the city visiting places like the New York Stock Exchange, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan. It was an incredible experience that I would’ve never had if I attended another school. Marykate Kelly, one of the organizers of the trip, did an excellent job of finding the best places to visit and we really got a feel of what it’s like to work in the financial industry.
HC: It must’ve been an a memorable experience because you are a business major. Do you plan on doing something like that with your degree, if not what are your ideal plans for after graduation in 2017?
Lianne: Right now, I’m working towards a degree in Marketing and I’d love to work in telecommunications or the media industry.
HC: Sounds awesome! But, enough talk about school and work, let’s talk about this amazing club that you are Co-Chair/Vice-President of, Relay for Life. Tell us about the club and what you do?
Lianne: Colleges Against Cancer (the name of our organization) holds various fundraisers throughout the year that lead up to our main event in the Spring entitled Relay For Life. The event’s focus is to celebrate the lives of cancer survivors, remember those who lost their battle with cancer, and fight back against the disease. It’s rare that you’ll find someone who hasn’t been affected by cancer, and with the help of our executive board and committee, we plan throughout the year to create the most successful event possible to raise funds for cancer research and for the care of patients and caregivers.
HC: Wow! This club can really make a difference in the lives of those struggling with cancer. What made you want to be Co-chair/Vice President of something this big and this life-changing?
Lianne: After seeing how involved and dedicated the members of the CUA and Relay community are to the event, I wanted to show my dedication for the event as well. My co-chair and the President of Colleges Against Cancer, Alissa Norris, has really helped me learn about the event and how influential Relay is on campus. With her help, as well as the help of our Executive Board and Committee, the personal connection that the cause has to everyone has really driven me to do the most that I can for the event.
HC: Sounds like a lot of organizing a planning goes into it. Props to you and Alissa for taking on a huge commitment like this. I’m sure the club is in great hands with you two! So, when is the big event and what can people do to get involved?
Lianne: Relay for Life is going to be held on Friday, April 17th, 2015 in the Pryzbyla Center. Everyone and anyone is welcome to sign up for the event through our Facebook page or on the American Cancer Society’s website.
HC: I am definitely jotting April 17th down in my calendar because I don’t want to miss this event! Can you give us any clue as to what will be happening the night of the event? We are dying to know!
Lianne: I can’t give anything away right now, all I can say is that it will be magical and full of fun that you don’t want to miss! Just make sure you come and see for yourselves in April! (It will be the most magical place on Earth, if you know what I mean)
So, who else has April 17th cleared for the whole day for this huge event coming up?! I definitely do! (Word is there are royal princes and princesses coming to the event AND FOOD!) Thanks for sharing with us Lianne! You definitley are a girl who has everything going for her!