Name: Thando Kuene
Year: Senior
Major: English and SOAN
Concetration: Women’s Studies
Internship Expereince: College Possible; Minnesota Literacy Council
Social activist Thando Kunene ’13 is committed to supporting social justice issues. So much so that she recently shaved her head for one such cause. Along with a group of 18 other Oles commited to raising awareness about domestic and sexual violence, Kunene said goodbye to her strands at the Heads for Hope event held before Thanksgiving break in Buntrock Commons’ crossroads. The money these Oles raised went to the HOPE Center in Faribault which serves victims of domestic and sexual abuse. The event was supported by Oles to Action, a student organization that Kunene has been heavily involved in.
Because Kuene is especially interested in working with non-profit organizations that deal with immigration and refugees in the future, this student org. is perfect for her. Oles to Action works toward solutions to both international and local social justice issues.
Serving as a member of Oles to Action has given Kunene the opportunity, she says, to be an advocate for the student body, spreading awareness and educating students about international and local social justice issues. In past years, she has been involved with a number of other student organizations on campus including the Volunteer Network and the Music Entertainment Committee.
Aside from being involved in student organizations and juggling her two majors, Kunene enjoys knitting, music, reading and dancing (she was in Show Choir in high school). She also works at the Piper Center as a peer advisor and as a teaching assistant for the Sociology/Anthropology department. Kunene admits that she is very much interested in different academic disciplines such as women’s issues, sociology, anthropology and English.
Obviously, based on her involvement with Oles to Action, it’s no surprise that she is very passionate about the rights of marginalized areas, such as women, race, gender and poverty. After her undergraduate career, Kunene hopes to work with non-profit organizations that work with these issues. Then, she wants to pursue graduate research within social sciences, so that she can do her own research.
Kunene’s advice for her fellow Oles: “Get involved! Find organizations that allow you to explore different parts of yourself. Also, don’t be afraid to make an organization if you’re really interested in something.”