Name: Becky Steephenson
Class: 2015
Major: Biology
Minor: Religious studies
This faith-rooted senior truly has a heart of gold. Her mission to give a voice to the voiceless shines through in every activity she has participated in throughout her Siena career, From her summer internship in Bolivia, to her position as chair of the Student Conduct Review Board, her passion for social justice and service is the driving force behind everything she does.
Her Campus Siena: What extracurriculars are you involved in on campus?
Becky: I’m involved in the Human Rights Committee and the Student Conduct Review Board. I got involved in SCRB my sophomore year as I began to think about going to law school, and after looking around for clubs related to my interest in law, I applied for the SCRB. I ended up really loving it and sticking with the program through my senior year. It’s really cool that we as students have a role in deciding what happens in these cases.
Her Campus Siena: What are your plans after you graduate from Siena?
Becky: Even though I’m a bio major, I plan to go to law school after college. I want to be a lawyer to empower people. This summer in Bolivia, I realized it’s not about being a voice to the voiceless but instead it’s about giving a voice to the voiceless. I want to empower women, the elderly, minorities, basically the marginalized.
HC Siena: What made you decide to be a bio major?
Becky: I’ve always wanted to help people, so I was thinking of going to med school and becoming a doctor. I realized there were other ways to help people, like majoring in social work, or go to law school, or be a business major; all of these people can still help people. I want to go to law school and study immigration or health law, so I could still apply my bio degree with an understanding of medicine and things like that to a law career.
HC Siena: I understand you went to Bolivia this past summer. Tell me more about that!
Becky: I worked at a clinic there, then started working at a school helping to teach English. It was a very simple life there. We lived at the top of a mountain, and worked at the bottom. The lifestyle was very minimal– no cell phones, [and] the internet at the school we lived at was pretty bad. It was really interesting to see a place that was so different. Their government is more socialist, so they don’t have a very pro-America vibe. It was interesting to see a different perspective and understand a different culture. I also speak very minimal Spanish, but I learned a ton while I was there.
HC Siena: Do you have any other international experiences?
Becky: In high school, I went on a service trip to Trinidad where I worked at a clinic for pregnant women, an orphanage, and worked with children in the community.
HC Siena: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Becky: I am part of an unofficial club called the Christian Club, and we hang out and talk Christians in the community. We’re very open to having new people join us; it’s a really welcoming community.
HC Siena: What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?
Becky: Serving people and helping people will give you more happiness than you’ll ever realize. I think we’re on a pursuit of happiness, and sometimes we just have to look into others and serve others, and with that, your happiness will increase.