In the spirit of #WomensHistoryMonth we asked are social media followers to nominate an inspiring female student they look up to on campus. Here are a few of the amazing female student leaders that populate DU!
Kate Karayannis
Major/Minors: Accounting / Finance
Year in School: Junior
What are you involved in around campus?
DUPB Traditions Co-Chair, Chi Omega Fraternity, DU Tour Guide.
How did you get involved?
At first, I wasn’t too interested in any club. Not a single one. Then I stumbled into Chi Omega and found a way to connect my passions into a purpose through meaningful and genuine connections. After that initial start, I didn’t want to stop. I love, and have always loved, planning events; so, DUPB was just a natural fit. It’s such an honor to plan and execute events that have been at DU for decades and are such an integral part of this campus and its community.
How do you balance a busy school life along with work or extracurricular activities?
Prioritizing and organization are everything. If I don’t know what time I work or where my next club meeting is, I fall apart. It really helps to make a timeline and work backwards – as in, understand when the deadline is and see how many major steps I need to take before something is due.
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen at DU?
You pay to be here – make the most of it. There are so many incredible opportunities on campus and in Denver. Do things that make you uncomfortable. Find ways to feel completely alive. Four years goes by so quickly.
Who inspires you at DU?
It’s so inspirational to be surrounded by such strong women, so confident in themselves and their capabilities, both in and out of the classroom. I’m so grateful for my sorority sisters, for the DUPB Presidents (Sabrina Jain and Alayna Zuckerman), and for all the friends I have made during my time here.
Claire Girardeau
Majors: International Studies and Spanish / Leadership
Year in School: Junior
What are you involved in around campus?
I currently work as a Study Abroad Assistant at the Office of International Education. I love the opportunity to contribute to the international experiences of students. Along the same line, I am also the VP of Outgoing Exchange with AIESEC Denver. AIESEC is a student-run non-profit organization that helps to develop leadership in young people through volunteer and internship experiences around the world. Additionally, I am a Research Assistant and Project Leader for the Clinic for Writing and the Public Good. This Clinic is dedicated to researching writing for the public good across issue-areas and developing publicly available resources for nonprofits, social movement leaders, social entrepreneurs, and others writing to advance public good causes.
How did you get involved?
When I was a first year, I joined way too many organizations and was determined to be as involved as I possibly could. What I soon realized was that it’s much more meaningful to select a few specific interests and devote more time to these areas. I did find my current occupations in part by chance and also by being open to unfamiliar and unexpected opportunities.
How do you balance a busy school life along with work or extracurricular activities?
There’s no such a thing as the perfect balance between these areas, but I’ve certainly improved with regards to managing my time as I’ve progressed through university. It’s important to have both the extracurricular and academic elements in a university experience because both of these elements can lead to incredible growth and skills for the future. In relation to extracurricular activities, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is the importance of delegating work to other organization members and asking for help when needed. I also try to be in constant communication with those who I am working with and let them know if I’m feeling overwhelmed or need a bit more time to dedicate to school work. Though I know overall school comes first, I don’t let it completely dominate my university experience because there is so much to gain from other areas of university life.
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen at DU?
For one thing, I would want them to know that everyone is super nervous and looking for friends when they come here. All those nerves that you’re experiencing are also present in all the people around you. Now that you know you’re all in the same boat, don’t be afraid to start meeting people and reaching out when you see the opportunity. Those that you talk to will surely appreciate your kindness in this scary time of transition. The other piece of advice I have for any big transition is to be patient with yourself and take a deep breath. I know you’ve always been told that college will go by fast and you need to take advantage of every moment, but it’s okay to take a step back and take some time for yourself. If you make a mistake or things don’t go as planned at the start, that’s perfectly normal. As wonderful as this time in university is, it’s also VERY messy and full of ups and downs. Just know that you are certainly not going through this roller coaster alone.
Lois Shih
Major/Minors:Theatre & Communication Studies / Leadership Studies and Chinese
Year in School: Junior
What are you involved in around campus?
Pioneer Leadership Program, Excelling Leaders Institute, DU Drama Ensemble, BOSS Peer Educator – in terms of on-campus organizations, but the majority of my time is actually spent within the Theatre Department in shows/productions.
How did you get involved?
As a freshman, I definitely jumped into a LOT of things right away. I was always incredibly involved in high school, and I wanted to continue that through college. DU also does a pretty awesome thing during O-Week where they host a sort of carnival fair in Ritchie where every organization on campus gets a booth/table to show who they are and what they’re about to incoming freshmen. That event definitely helped me figure out where my passions and interests lay, and from there, I just reached out to people and started getting involved that way.
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen at DU?
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Get involved on-campus. Find something that interests you. Be bold.
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Self-care matters.
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Your grades don’t define you. So breathe.
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Take advantage of all the FREE things DU gives you! Like the gym and public transportation!
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Go to office hours. Just do it.
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Surround yourself with good people.
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Live in the present.
*Ask any junior or senior. Four years go by incredibly fast. Enjoy being in college and being around your friends and professors everyday (before you have to actually start adulting and working. Seriously).*
Why should women get involved on campus?
Um. Why shouldn’t they?!
Women are courageous, empathetic, driven, open, empowering, tough, effective, vulnerable, generous, ambitious, curious, fearless, intelligent, passionate, bold, successful, kind, phenomenal, fierce. Need I say more?
Women are warriors, and the world could do more good with more of ‘em.
Who inspires you at DU?
The entire faculty in the Chinese Department at DU.
Li Peters. Ping Qiu. Jing Wang.
As massive and significant the language of Chinese is in our society today, the Chinese Department at DU is not large enough for the language to have its own Major yet. These three brilliant women make up the entire department, and they work endlessly for the success of their students. Each professor brings a wealth of knowledge into the classroom, and they tackle everything with kindness, generosity, and grace. The drive and determination of the faculty, though they be small, is what will contribute to their immense success in the future.
Katy Constantinides
Major/Minors: International Studies and Gender and Women’s Studies
Year in School: Sophomore
What are you involved in around campus?
I’m a member of the DU Honors Program, Exit 205 A Cappella, and I am the Secretary of the DU College Democrats. I’m also a member of a planning committee for the HerDU conference, and a campus tour guide.
How did you get involved?
I first discovered most of the organizations I’m involved with now by attending the club fair at the beginning of freshman year and taking advantage of opportunities that came up through my connections with peers and faculty at DU.
How do you balance a busy school life along with work or extracurricular activities?
I’m never without my planner – time management is key! – and I try to practice self-care by eating healthy when I can, going to yoga, getting enough sleep, and taking breaks to spend time with my friends. I like to be as productive as I can during the day, so I can relax and take time for myself in the evening. It doesn’t always happen of course, but scheduling time for self-care is essential, even if sometimes it’s just taking fifteen minutes to do a face mask or talk with a friend.
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen at DU?
Don’t be afraid to try new things and get involved in the DU community, but remember that it’s okay to quit sometimes. I had to learn the hard way that doing extra things that cause you stress just because they might look good on your resume isn’t healthy or beneficial to you in the long run. It’s better to be committed to a few things you’re passionate about than to try to do everything.
Don’t worry if you don’t find friends right away! It takes time to find your communities on campus, and that often doesn’t happen in the first quarter. Stay open to new experiences and make connections with people who are different than you, because even if you don’t become best friends, you’ll have made a new connection you might not have before.
Who inspires you at DU?
So many of my friends and fellow students are incredibly intelligent and compassionate people, and they inspire me to work hard and be a kinder person every day. I could nominate any one of them to be featured in this article, and I’m so grateful to be surrounded by strong, brave women.