Dear Her Campus at TCU Readers,
Happy fall semester! At this point, we’ve survived the first week of classes, sylly week, our first meal back at the BLUU, and so many more ups and downs — and it’s only three weeks into the semester!
Hopefully, you’re as happy as I am to be back at TCU. As a sophomore, I’ve heard about a million times how it must feel like my freshman year all over again, and honestly, it’s true! I didn’t know this many people went to TCU — over these last few weeks, I’ve experienced running to classes, getting honked at and almost hit while crossing University, in-person meetings, and so many more crazy IRL moments. My favorite moment of all, however, has been our first all-chapter Her Campus meeting, which happened last Monday.
Since Her Campus became a recognized student organization in March, we only had a few chapter meetings, all of which were on Zoom. Even virtually, our members were so excited to be a part of this organization, and we had so much fun brainstorming article ideas and getting to know one another. Now that we’re back in person, the energy is even more tangible. Every one of our writers has such amazing ideas, and I can’t wait for you to read what they have to say this semester.
If you’re reading this, you’re at least a little intrigued with Her Campus. Maybe you want to join, or maybe you just like to read our articles. Either way, not many people know the full story behind Her Campus at TCU, and that’s what I want to share with you today.
Her Campus chapters are actually just one part of Her Campus Media. HCM is an umbrella organization over Her Campus chapters, influencer communities such as Campus Trendsetters, and the Her Future Program, a career prep program for high school students. In high school, I was involved in the Her Future program, which introduced me to Her Campus for the first time. When I was looking into colleges, a Her Campus chapter was actually one of my criteria. I knew that I wanted to be a part of one of these inclusive, empowered chapters and write about my passions. TCU had a chapter, and their website was still up, but when I got to school, I found out that it had been shut down in 2017 due to a lack of leadership.
In September 2020, I met Anastasia Helms through the Student Government Association. She expressed that one of her goals in the upcoming year was to bring a Her Campus chapter to TCU, and it was like the stars had aligned. Together, we reached out to HCHQ and TCU Student Development Services and started the process of bringing Her Campus back. We went through a bunch of tests on both ends, chose an incredible executive team, and started thinking about what Her Campus would look like during our time here and beyond.
As we gathered members and prepared to present our organization idea, I found myself thinking about the why behind Her Campus. Why did I love it so much? Why did I want to bring it to TCU? Why did I want to devote my whole life to starting this organization?
If you’ve ever heard me talk about Her Campus before, the answer is obvious. It is usually hard to get me to stop talking, but when I start on Her Campus, it’s truly a feat to do so. I love TCU, and I knew it was my home from the moment I visited. However, I believe that Her Campus makes it so much better. Her Campus has given me opportunities, mentors, and best friends. It has given me an outlet to share what I love. It has given me a space to empower other women. It is a network that spans the nation and ten other countries. It is a family. I never thought that I would start and lead an organization as a freshman, but Her Campus is that important to me. I have never felt more supported than I do when I’m at our meetings. Speaking in front of thirty people, I never worry about saying the wrong thing or acting “weird.” I feel seen, loved, and respected for who I am.
Our Senior Editor, Caroline Hughes, said it better than I ever could. “Her Campus is a place to foster growth, both internally and externally. Internally, yes, talented, amazing young women get the experience they deserve. They deserve to have the opportunity to grow as writers, explore their passions, and receive feedback and gain insight from their equally amazing peers. Externally, a Her Campus chapter at TCU provides the opportunity to connect young women across campus — eager writers and apprehensive essay-completers alike. You don’t have to be a writer to enjoy Her Campus; in fact, perhaps we should aim for the opposite.” And we do. We have journalism and strategic communication and English majors, yes, but we also have nursing majors, fashion merchandising majors, engineering majors, and more. Everyone is welcome here. Everyone belongs at Her Campus.
Everyone is welcome here. Everyone belongs at Her Campus.
On March 16, 2021, our Her Campus page launched on HerCampus.com. About a week later, we got approved as an official TCU student organization. Since then, we have been publishing articles, hosting meetings, and having just plain fun. This semester, we are excited to be back in person and provide more value to our members than ever. If you want to join our team, feel free to email me at k.mccarthy11@tcu.edu. We would love to have you.
Have a great semester! You got this.
HCXO,
Kendall McCarthy
2021 Her Campus at TCU President