You’ve probably seen Erika Kaufhold around campus at one point or another. She is either fulfilling her Vice Presidential duties of Alpha Omicron Pi by manning her sororities booth at the Johnson Center, working in a lab to finish maps for her job at the United States Geological Survey, or studying to keep her grades high as a member of The Order of Omega (an honor society that only admits the brightest members of the Greek community). Except for Friday afternoons, when she always makes sure to take a few hours out of her busy schedule to volunteer at the animal shelter close to her house.
HC: You are an insanely busy girl, how do you manage to stay organized and on top of all you activities?
Erika: “I use a planner, an online calendar, and several notebooks to keep myself organized. It can be crazy to keep up with!”
HC: What was your biggest mistake as a freshman?
Erika: “Taking too many courses at once. I was at 18 credits and it was just overwhelming. Although, now I am on track to graduate early so the hard work was worth it in the end!”
HC: Can you tell us about an embarrassing moment you’ve had in college?
Erika: “There was one morning that I had a big presentation in one of my classes. I had been up late practicing for it and had to dress up for it that morning. The presentation went well. However, afterwards I was so tired that when I was climbing a set of stairs my heel caught and I tripped up the stairs in front of a large group of people, some of which were students in that same class. It was just one of those moments you have to laugh off.”
HC: What is some advice you can give to other college girls on how to get more involved?
Erika: “Look into what your campus offers you, whether it is sports or student organizations. Also, after joining AOII I learned about Greek Ambassadors and Order of Omega. Try looking into what organizations you can join after you are already involved in one, because joining one organization doesn’t mean you should stop there!”
HC: You do a lot at Mason, but what do you want to do after college?
Erika: “After college I want to get involved with a federal agency or NGO to study environmental change and coastal planning through satellite imagery analysis. There will be a lot of environmental work going on in years to come and I am determined to be part of it.”
HC: What is your go-to outfit when you need to get dressed up for your job?
Erika: “Whenever I have an important meeting I love wearing a dressy top, pencil skirt, and heels. It just makes me feel put together and professional.”
HC: What is your power color?
Erika: “Emerald. It’s such a classic color and I’m very happy it is in style right now.”
HC: One last question, what is a quote you live by?
Erika: “A quote that I like to live by is: “I didn’t set out to be unusual or different, I just wanted to do things my way.” – Lilly Pulitzer”