Name: Elise Pawlak
Hometown: Canton, Georgia
Majors: Mass Media & Creative Writing
Minors: Gender and Women’s Studies & Nonprofit Leadership
Expected Graduation: May 7, 2016
Her Campus: Where are you from and how did you get to MN?
Elise Pawlak: “I grew up all over the place. I was born in Illinois, and then lived in Wisconsin (ages 1-6), New Jersey (age 6), Georgia (ages 7-17), and then I moved back to Wisconsin for my senior year of high school after I was emancipated (my family life is a little complicated). I came to Minnesota mainly because of my friend Haley Carpenter. The Carpenter’s became my sponsor family when I was unable to support myself as a high school senior, but I also couldn’t live at home. I don’t even want to think about where I’d be if it wasn’t for their kindness and generosity. Haley was the one who introduced me to MSU, Mankato. She had applied here and made the school cheer team, but she was a little hesitant about making the move. At the time, I already knew I wanted to be an English major and figured I could do that anywhere, so we came here together.”
HC: How are you involved on campus?
EP: “You could definitely say I enjoy being involved on campus.
- Public Relations Coordinator and Zine Editor for the Women’s Center
- President of the Society of Professional Journalists
- Developmental Editor and Writer for Her Campus MNSU
- Communications Chair for Women of Action Committee
- Public Relations Director of Protecting Animal Rights Committee
- Social Media Coordinator and Treasurer for Gender & Women’s Studies Club
- Secretary and Treasurer of Public Relations Student Society of America
- Student Lead Worker at MNSU Memorial Library”
HC: Out of all of those groups, which would you say is your favorite or that you most enjoyed?
EP: “I thoroughly enjoy all my involvements and I have taken something away from each experience. Her Campus MNSU has allowed me to develop more confidence as a writer, my position at the Women’s Center has provided me with an amazing support group, but all of my positions have taught me how to balance leadership and working as a team. Even though some of the organizations are very different from each other, they have all allowed me to develop the skills necessary to succeed in my desired field.”
HC: How do you manage the pressure and stress of being so involved on campus?
EP: “I get this question a lot, but the answer varies depending on what kind of day I’ve had. Some days I just need to hang out with the people I care about and have a (large) glass of red wine, but then there are other days when I can’t handle being around a bunch of people and I hide in my bedroom with my cat, Molly, while watching FRIENDS on repeat. My friends call me a crazy cat lady, but I’m pretty sure my cuddle sessions with Molly are what keep me sane. There are days that I spend 14+ hours on campus and the entire time I’m just wishing I could go home and hang out with my 7-year-old orange tabby.”
HC: Do you have any plans for after graduation? Which career are you interested in?
EP: “After graduating this May I have plans to stay in Mankato for one last summer. I’ll be living out my lease here and I’ll continue my internships at both the Women’s Center and my position as the Public Relations Intern for CADA’s Safe Bar Initiative. I’m continuing my involvement in these positions because I have decided that nonprofit public relations is what I would like to do with my life. Both organizations stand for causes that I believe in and I want to get as much experience with them as I can before I move to Greenville, South Carolina at the end of July.
I am currently applying for public relations jobs within the nonprofit sector and my 5-year plan is to end up working at the National Organization for Women (NOW) as a Public Relations Executive. Keep your fingers crossed for me!”
HC: Any advice for students at MSU?
EP: “Discover what you’re passionate about. For me, it was feminism. Growing up in the South, feminists were not always respected and I think that is mainly because a lot people don’t understand what feminism is. There was a time in my life where I was afraid to claim feminism for myself. I didn’t understand that feminism doesn’t just support women and that it means equality across every gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and the various social constructs that exist in our society. Then there was a time I was a white feminist that didn’t understand the importance of intersectionality. Through becoming an intersectional feminist, I learned the significance of being aware of all the privileges and oppressions people across the globe experience. Once you find what you’re passionate about you’re able to combine it with the skills and abilities you possess to find your purpose. In the end, isn’t that what furthering your education is all about?”
Elise Pawlak is a great representation of what MSU is all about. She takes on leadership roles on our campus in a heartbeat, and works hard to give those postions the attention they deserve. We couldn’t be more proud to have her as a part of our Her Campus family, and can’t wait to see all the great things she will do after graduating!
Click here for a list of articles Elise has written for Her Campus MNSU.