This week we are featuring Natasha Chapayil as our Campus Cutie. She is a Wilfrid Laurier leader that lights up any room she walks into with her sparkling personality. Natasha is an inspiration, and has even greater aspirations!
Name: Natasha ChapayilProgram: Business Administration (BBA)Year: 3rdHometown: Mississauga, OntarioRelationship Status: Single
When did you fall in love with Laurier?
I fell in love with Laurier the moment I decided to pay it a visit on Victoria Day, two years ago. I was hoping to get a tour but not surprisingly, the campus was deserted, there wasn’t a soul in sight, and I didn’t know where to go. After 20 minutes of wandering the campus, I entered the Athletic Complex and finally saw a sign of human life. There was a girl attending the front desk and I shared with her my dilemma. She was one of the loveliest girls I had ever met and she answered all my questions about the school. She had this sparkle about her when she talked about how great the community was at Laurier and how positively the school had impacted her. I didn’t even need a tour after that to know that Laurier was where I belonged.
Who is your inspiration right now?
I would say Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy, is my inspiration right now. He has dedicated his life to academics, receiving three degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and with all that he could’ve done with his education, he chose to give back and came up with the idea of providing free, quality education to people all over the world. His dedication to making a difference and revolutionizing the way education is delivered truly inspires me, and I hope to make an impact at that level some day.
Are you hoping to do something like that when you are done your BBA?
Yes. I am hoping to get some experience working for a social entrepreneurial venture and hopefully start one of my own. Laurier has given me amazing opportunities to get involved with clubs such as Enactus Laurier and The Social Innovation Project that look to make an impact, on campus and in the local community.
What other things are you involved with on campus?
I’m currently involved with Golden Hawk Films, a club a friend of mine and I founded last year. We work with students interested in acting, directing, writing, and producing and create short films throughout the year. We then showcase these films at our Annual Film Festival that takes place in March. Our goal is to create a platform for students passionate about filmmaking wherein they can network and gain new experience.
How does someone become involved in Golden Hawk Films?
We are always looking for actors, directors, writers, and video editors to be a part of the club. If you’re interested in one or more of these roles, just email us at goldenhawkfilms@gmail.com or message us on our Facebook page.
What is your favourite movie?
“Midnight in Paris” has to be one of my favourite movies. It was one of the few films that had a significant impact on the way I thought about certain things.
What is your spirit animal?
I would say my spirit animal is a panda. I think I’m just very easy going and relaxed and I take life as it comes. I also love hugs and from all the Panda videos I’ve watched, they seem to give the best hugs ever.
What’s your favourite colour?
I think turquoise is the most beautiful colour. It’s a colour very common in Iranian architecture and from what I’ve read, it was used to cover the domes of Iranian palaces to symbolize heaven on earth.
Check out this incredible cutie on campus! Be sure to wave or stop and say hi!