I first met Rebecca Lawson in my Communications 102 – Media Processes and Effects class. It was our first day of being college students, and while I was terrified out of my mind (read: Am I smart enough to even go here?), Rebecca had no qualms. Later, at a meeting for a magazine I had started writing for, I learned that Rebecca would be writing for them, too. You guessed it–Her Campus.
I co-wrote my first article for HC with Rebecca. And just like with class, Rebecca seemed to know exactly what she was doing. In all honesty, she scared the shit out of me (in a good way). She wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted, and she was confident in her skills as an interviewer and writer. It came as no surprise that our former editor, Caroline Syms, along with other HC leaders, chose Rebecca to be the next editor-in-chief.
I’m personally excited for these next two years. HC has had some awesome editors before, and Rebecca is going to make an excellent addition.
So, here go you, readers. Meet Rebecca Lawson!
Name: Rebecca Lawson
Major/minor: Informatics – Social Computing, Minor in Entrepreneurship
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Her Campus: How long have you been writing for HC?
Rebecca Lawson: I have been involved in Her Campus since August of my freshman year. Writing for Her Campus UMich and helping with the events has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my college career thus far, and I am very eager and excited to take on this larger role at HC!
HC: What got you involved in HC?
RL: I became an avid reader of Her Campus in high school, and the idea of college women writing articles aimed at other college women really resonated with me. I applied over the summer going into my freshmen year, and to this day I still remember how overjoyed I was when I was told I was a part of the staff! I was able to start writing and help plan the College Week Fashion Show as soon as I got to campus. It felt so great to be a part of something at the very beginning of my freshmen year.
HC: What other writing/editing experience do you have?
RL: In high school I served as the editor in chief of my school’s monthly newspaper, Paw Print, and oversaw a staff of about 40 student writers and designers. I spent the summer of my senior year of high school reporting, writing, editing, and creating multimedia projects at the Medill Northwestern Journalism Institute (Cherubs). I also was a student reporter for the Chicago Tribune’s weekly high school publication, The Mash. While many budding journalists crave glamorous assignments such as celebrity interviews, what I quickly came to value most about this opportunity was the freedom I was given as a reporter to follow my own leads as well as cover topics relevant to the Chicago teen community.
HC: What do you want to do after graduation?
RL: My ideal career path would combine my passions for technology and online media. Right now digital marketing, application development, or user experience analysis all sound very appealing, but luckily I have a fair amount of time to decide what to pursue before I graduate!
HC: What other activities are you involved in on campus?
RL: I am the Vice President of Housing for my sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon, and I am a fundraiser for Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan. I am a recently declared Informatics major, and I am excited to get more involved in the tech community on campus!
HC: What are you most looking forward to during your time as EIC? What do you think makes HC so special?
RL: There are Her Campus chapters at over 200 universities in America and the UK, and this great number most likely stems from the fact that Her Campus’ mission is so relatable to girls everywhere. I have already had such a great time connecting with campus correspondents at other schools, and I hope to learn more from other chapters to see where Her Campus UMich could be improving. At Her Campus, girls like me have the chance to develop freely and explore their budding connections to journalism and marketing, and I am so fortunate to have been part of this amazing group of women at Michigan and across the country.