This week’s celebrity is a Harvard woman giving Beyonce a run for her money. You may have heard of Liz from one of her amazing performances in Hair, Legally Blonde, Sweeney Todd, Cinderella, Wonderful Town, and many other Harvard shows or onstage in Keychange. Apart from being one of the most talented women we can think of, she is also one of the most confident, individual, and a great representation of what it means to be a role model to our readers. Check out why we love Liz oh so much!
First, the basics! Tell us a little about yourself — where are you from, what do you study, and what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I was raised in Darien, Connecticut and grew up doing a lot of music and theater. I’m studying Organismic and Evolutionary Biology here, which has nothing to do with my extra curricular interests. I love animals, especially pandas (there is a life-sized panda stuffed animal on my bed), and that’s what initially drew me to OEB. In the little free time I have, I enjoy pottery, painting, and eating.
What are some of the extracurricular activities you are involved with on campus?
I’m involved in a lot of shows on campus through HRDC (Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club). I’m also a part of the a cappella group, Keychange, and I’m a member of Crimson Key.
What would be your dream job after graduation?
I would love to perform professionally after graduation, whether that be on Broadway or as a jazz singer in a nightclub. Entertaining is what brings me the most joy, and I would be thrilled to have a career in the performing arts.
What does female empowerment mean to you?
Female empowerment is unabashedly speaking one’s mind to a roomful of men, feeling sexy without seeking sexual validation, and never letting gender norms shape or limit one’s goals and aspirations.
How do you plan to carry out the mission next year and after graduation?
I love taking on leadership roles on campus and nourishing my own confidence and independence through theater and performance. I hope that, by asserting myself and speaking my mind, I will encourage other women to be equally as bold and self-sufficient. After graduation, if I am lucky enough to become an established performer, I will continue to preach the importance of being an independent woman who looks for approval not from men, but from her loved ones and herself.
What do you think all girls should know and believe in?
I believe that every girl, from a very young age, should be taught that her rightful place is not necessarily in the home, but wherever she wishes to be. A girl should always believe in her own strength and importance. There is nothing wrong with wanting to stay at home to raise and nurture a family, but that path should never be a requirement. Young girls should look to the strong, influential female leaders of today for inspiration. As a rule of thumb, be sexy, be fierce, but always stand on your own two feet, whether in stilettos or sneakers. Because after all, as Beyonce once sang, girls run the world.