Being a senior at FSU in the Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship is no small feat. For Denise Lipman, that is only one accomplishment on a list of many. After originally having a marketing major, Denise decided to make a career change her first semester of senior year and it’s safe to say she has never looked back. Her love for social entrepreneurship was solidified after studying abroad in Bali this past summer, which was only one part of her life-changing journey.
As an immigrant from the Philippines, Denise knew she wanted to work in a field where she could give back to developing countries. One dream of hers was always to study abroad, especially in a location where she could use her talents to aid the people of a different culture. She started off her journey by traveling to South Korea, before embarking on a six-week long program in Bali.
While in Bali, she helped create a model plan for people in rural villages to help them better utilize a local plant with a multitude of benefits. “It was the most exhausting thing I’ve ever done,” she said of the experience. “Trying to create something out of nothing while still being respectful to the culture was exhausting. I had never felt so fulfilled about feeling so exhausted.”
Denise completely fell in love with the practice of creating something for people that would help better the state of their lives. “I knew that the work I was doing was actually impacting people.” The program only helped solidify her love for social entrepreneurship and opened her eyes to the wonderful culture of Bali. Her time in Bali provided her with irreplaceable work opportunities, but also one of a kind life experiences that we all dream of. When she wasn’t working on her entrepreneurship project, she was traveling to different landmarks and beaches, living her absolute best life.
Once her study abroad program was over, she traveled to Australia on her own to visit family, and then took a trip to Italy to live out her dream of traveling alone. “Traveling alone was equal parts scary and fulfilling and enlightening.” Her time traveling alone throughout Italy proved to have its challenges, but the rewards were overwhelmingly meaningful. “I think every woman should travel by themselves because it teaches you so much about who are you. It empowers you and shows you how to get through different situations you wouldn’t otherwise go through.”
One of the most important lessons she learned from her travels this summer was that you don’t need to have a set timeline for your life, you just need to know what you’re going to do next and to welcome uncertainty. “I will figure out what I want to do, just as long as I’m stepping in the right direction and I’m doing something I believe in, I know I’ll be doing the right thing.”
Her whirlwind summer that seems straight out of a movie has helped Denise grow as a young woman and has also helped define her passions. “This past summer was such a turning point because I realized that social entrepreneurship is what I want to do and traveling by myself was enlightening. I still can’t believe I did that. If I could do that, I know I can do anything.”
If there’s anything we can learn from this girl boss, it’s that life is too short to not take risks and push ourselves out of our comfort zone. Find your passion and chase it, even if it takes you to the other side of the world, just like Denise!
All images courtesy of Denise Lipman.