It’s 6:45 AM. The last thing you want to do is leave your warm cozy bed, throw on an outfit, and spend all day at school. What’s five more minutes anyway? I mean, this is what the snooze button is made for. Twenty minutes later and your parents are screaming at you that you’ll be late for school- again. Wonderful. Fast-forward to college and somehow 11 AM classes are still as hard to wake up for as grade school and high school. Sometimes, we get caught up in complaining about the little things like how tired we are, or how much homework we have, or how impossible that midterm was, but imagine your life with the privilege of a quality education stripped away from you. Suddenly, your C on that lab report seems pretty small compared to the problems you could face without schooling at all. Sometimes, it’s easy to take education for granted, especially if our family members have paved the way for us. President Emily Parkinson of the UW Chapter of She’s the First is working hard to make education possible for young women in developing countries and allow them to become the first in their families to graduate, so they too can pave the way for future generations and become empowered themselves through education.
Tell us about She’s the First.
She’s the First is a national non-profit organization based in New York City with campus chapters at universities all over the country. The mission of She’s the First is to promote girls’ education in developing countries, so that they may be the first in their families to graduate from school. As a campus chapter, our main objective is to raise money through creative fundraisers for the three students that we are currently sponsoring in Guatemala. We also strive to spread awareness of our cause on campus through events like documentary screenings and discussions.
How did you originally get started in your involvement with this organization?
I heard about She’s the First from a UW graduate and alumna of my sorority who was volunteering with them in New York City. When I looked at their website and saw that there were chapters at schools like Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, etc, I was surprised that their wasn’t already a chapter on our socially & globally conscious campus at UW. With the support and help of some of my friends and fellow students, we took the leap and launched a chapter!
What is your current role?
I am currently the President of She’s the First*{UW}. We also have 4 other executive board positions, as well as 5 chair positions, so we provide plenty of opportunities to gain meaningful leadership experience!
How can others become a part of She’s the First?
We are always welcoming new members to She’s the First! Anyone that is interested in joining can come to a meeting and become as involved as they want. See our contact info below to get in touch with us if you would like to join our email list!
In your opinion, how do you think education can benefit young women?
Nelson Mandela said it best: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” As a future teacher (I am studying Special Education), I am very passionate about the idea that with an education, nothing is impossible. Especially when it comes to girls that are marginalized in developing countries where societies are even more male-dominated than the US, educating girls and women can be the key to alleviating poverty. When girls are given an education, they are statistically more likely to marry and have children later in life, participate in the economy, have access to higher quality healthcare, and–ultimately–send their children to school.
On Friday, March 8, from 8-10PM, She’s the First will be hosting FASHION FORWARD 2013– a cocktail party, fashion show, and silent auction benefiting three students in Guatemala! Tickets are $10 for students and are being sold online at shesthefirstuw.eventbrite.com. We will also be planning some educational events, social events, and other fundraisers later in the semester!
In what ways do you hope She’s the First to evolve on campus?
On one hand, I hope that I can come back to campus in 10 years to visit and see that She’s the First has become a prominent student org on campus, sponsoring many more students and making a strong impact on the UW student body. On the other hand, I hope that in 10 years maybe we won’t need organizations like She’s the First, because I hope that ultimately there will be an end to the marginalization and oppression of girls & women worldwide! Regardless, I hope that STF continues to stay true to our mission and make a strong impact locally and globally.
Email: ShestheFirstUW@gmail.com
Twitter: @ShestheFirstUW
Facebook: facebook.com/ShesTheFirstWisconsin
Event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/453648851371262/