Name: Walker Howd
Year: Freshman
Major: Biology
Age: 18
Hometown: Sammamish, Washington
Her Campus (HC): How long have you been involved in Relay for Life?
Walker Howd (WH): I’ve been involved with Relay For Life since I was allowed to sleep over at the high school event! In middle school, around 8th grade, the high school near me reached out to us asking for support, and to make teams of 8th graders if we were interested, so my friends and I made a team. I was captain of the team my senior year as well as being involved with the executive board in the Relay for Life at my high school. It was really fun being able to plan and set up an event that had meant so much to me for so long.
HC: What’s your personal connection to Relay?
WH: When I was two-years-old my dad’s mom lost her battle with colon cancer. My little brother never got to meet her and that seriously sucked—not even getting to know someone you’re so closely related to because of a disease. Since then, I have had friends and friend’s parents diagnosed with cancer, some win their battles, some lose them, and some are still fighting. I Relay for them.
HC: What was the reason you got involved in the first place?
WH: The high school I went to, Eastlake High School in Sammamish, Washington, was really involved with Relay, which is why I did get involved. It mostly seemed like a fun time to hang out with friends. One year I even walked a marathon. I couldn’t walk the next day, though!
HC: How did you get involved at Florida State?
WH: When I took part in formal fall recruitment, one of the first houses I went to was Kappa Kappa Gamma, which is actually the sorority that brought Relay for Life to campus. I heard that Kappa was looking for a new delegate and I volunteered!
HC: What exactly do you do as Kappa’s delegate?
WH: As Kappa’s delegate I pretty much attend all of the meetings and act as the face of Kappa’s Relay team. There are quite a few girls that are celebration leaders and on the executive board as well. So, I just get to hang out with them and have fun with Relay! I encourage all 83 of the girls on my team to keep fundraising and I keep morale up.
HC: What’s it like being in a charge of a group of sorority girls?
WH: It’s so much fun! These girls are so awesome and I feel so lucky to be able to lead them in such an incredible event. They have so much spirit and although sometimes it can be hard and stressful, it is absolutely worth it and I can’t wait for the event.
HC: Do you want to continue to do this next year?
WH: Absolutely—Relay forever! I’m going to participate in Relay with Kappa for all four years [that] I’m at Florida Sate
HC: Is it hard adjusting to college life while also taking on the responsibilities of being a delegate?
WH: It is challenging at times having to juggle school, being in a sorority and being a delegate, but I have tons of help from all of my awesome sisters on the executive board and those who are celebration leaders. Sometimes there are hard weeks and sometimes there are days where I check the Relay for Life website at least a million times because I have nothing better to do. It’s an awesome opportunity to take on such a great leadership position in my sorority as a freshman, so I feel pretty lucky to have this experience and to get to represent my favorite Greek organization at my favorite philanthropy event!