Diana Curtis is a student at the University of Michigan whose involvement in a national service fraternity touches the lives of people in need on a regular basis. Beyond the lives she touches with her service work, Diana touches lives digitally as well, running a blog where she strives to empower conversation and inspiration amongst her readers. Diana is from Holland, Michigan and is pursuing a double major in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN) and Women’s Studies. She spent last semester studying abroad and ended up visiting nine countries in four months.
Her Campus: Tell us about your involvement in national service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. What’s your favorite part of the fraternity?
Diana Curtis: I joined APO the first semester of my freshman year and haven’t looked back since. I’ve held several different chair positions and organized numerous service projects with some really fantastic, intelligent, and compassionate people. APO has empowered me to give back to the chapter and community through active and engaging service, friendship and leadership. Not only that, but through the organization, I get the opportunity to empower others as well.
HC: Why did you choose to join APO rather than other organizations?
DC: I started off freshman year on the e-mail list for lots of different organizations, but APO is the one that stuck. In high school I did a lot of community service, and I sat on different boards that facilitated student and youth leadership, so finding an organization on campus that embodied two of my passions was really exciting. Despite our chapter’s size, it’s fantastically inclusive, and I have met my closest friends and mentors through it. Working with APO lets me see how my work produces immediate and sustainable improvements for the community around me.
HC: What else are you involved in on campus?
DC: I’m in a research lab that maps the brain activity of people with schizophrenia. This semester I’ve been trying to go to more shows and concerts on campus. I also have a job at an Ann Arbor coffeehouse.
HC: I heard you ran a blog, what can you tell us about it?
DC: It’s a simple blog directed by openness, honesty, and empowerment. I have a lot of interests, so I don’t limit the topics I write about, but I would say it’s primarily a lifestyle blog that challenges social construction. I write about my experiences, hoping to encourage conversation and ideas that raise other people up. I also reflect on social issues and other things I find imperative, not only for the modern woman, but for people in general. I also kept a travel diary while I was abroad and plan on expanding some posts to include travel preparation and expectations, as well as cross-cultural experiences.
HC: What inspired you to start blogging?
DC: I started my blog when I started college, so it’s grown a lot with me. Writing encourages me to be honest with myself about my feelings and experiences, so I use my blog as a space to be open with myself and with others. I was really nervous about started a blog because I was afraid no one would read it or that my writing wasn’t good enough, but in the end I did it for me and for the potential to encourage and inspire people just by talking. That’s still my goal today.
HC: What is your favorite memory at U of M?
DC: The football team didn’t have a great season my freshman year, but my friends and I still went to every game. My boyfriend came and visited during the Penn State game, and miraculously, we won! After the game ended, a lot of us stayed in the stands and did a victory dance to Sweet Caroline. It was pure fun and pure joy.