Sister Celebration Series: Sisters in Service

So many of our members serve others and selflessly give up their time to help those around them. Today, we are celebrating these sisters who have devoted so much time to service! Read all about them below!

Name: Caroline Been

Major: BA in International Studies-emphasis in Peace Studies

BA in Russian

Hometown: Fayetteville, AR

Please describe the service work you take part in.

The service that I am most passionate about involves refugee resettlement. This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at a refugee resettlement agency in Arkansas. I learned a lot about the US refugee program and got to implement it on a daily basis. I picked up clients from their airport, helped to set up their apartments, assisted with childcare, took clients to various appointments, and coordinated extensively with volunteers in the community to ensure that our clients’ needs were being met. I also got to teach cultural orientation classes and employment prep classes to clients (my favorite part!).

Now, I am doing the same work here in Columbia with Refugee and Immigration Services. I volunteer about 10 hours a week as a case manager assistant. As a case manager assistant, I take refugee clients to medical appointments, help them apply for social security cards and public assistance benefits, and take them to various meetings and appointments. I also create case files for upcoming arrivals and basically do whatever the case managers need me to do for the day! Some days I am going to clients’ homes to help them make a Christmas wish list, and other days I am with clients in the ER—it and can be really unpredictable, and sometimes challenging, but I wouldn’t change a thing!

In addition to working in refugee resettlement, I have also enjoyed being involved with Mizzou Alternative Breaks. Last winter break, I went on an Indigenous Peoples focused trip to serve the Zuni Tribe in New Mexico. We did trail maintenance on some of their ancestral trails and spent some time at the high school, elementary school, and senior activity center on the reservation. We were able to spend time with a wide range of tribal members, and we learned so much about Zuni beliefs, religion, and culture.

This upcoming winter break I am excited to be going on another MAB to Tucson, Arizona on a Refugee and Immigration focused trip. We will be working with Humane Borders and Tucson Samaritans to assist in relieving the crisis at the southern border.

This past summer I also volunteered as a US ambassador with the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange program. IYLEP is a highly competitive program for Iraqi college students that allows them to come to the United States to study leadership, peacebuilding, and social entrepreneurship. As a “US ambassador” I basically just got to hang out with the students to show them aspects of American culture. We went to concerts, movies, bowling, and baseball games. They were all so cool and we had really great conversations about the similarities and differences between Iraqi and American culture.

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

My favorite service activity has definitely been the experience I have had working with the two refugee resettlement agencies. The work can be emotionally challenging, but it has made me more aware of my privilege and has motivated me to continue to use that privilege to be an advocate for vulnerable groups. The individuals that I get to spend time with have been forced to flee their homes due to unimaginable violence and persecution, but they have taught me more about bravery, hope, and resilience than I could ever imagine. I love this service work because I am constantly pushed out of my comfort zone, and it has exposed me to people, cultures, and situations that I never would have encountered otherwise. I also love that this service is sustainable. The whole goal of refugee resettlement is to provide refugees with the knowledge and tools they need to be self-sufficient, and it has been really special to see their independence flourish as time goes on. Aside from the lessons it has taught me, I also love that I get to work closely with people who are typically overlooked and underestimated by our community. When people hear “refugee”, there are often negative connotations associated with it, especially given the current political climate surrounding refugees and immigration in general. I feel lucky to be able to put the politics aside and appreciate and respect these individuals for their personalities, work ethic, and goals.

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

Necessary. I have really tried to do service work that challenges me to learn about different cultures, understand different perspectives, and make a sustainable difference. A lot of the activities I volunteer to do involve populations that are misunderstood, under-appreciated, appropriated, or marginalized by our society. I think that any service that can be done to better understand, respect, and advocate for these communities is so incredibly necessary, especially in the world we live in today.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

Service is important because it gives you a unique opportunity to put your circumstance in perspective and understand the responsibility you have to give back to your community. You can learn so much from service, and I am a firm believer that if you are in a position that allows you to serve others, you should take advantage of the opportunity to go out of your comfort zone to do something selfless.

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

My theta sisters have always been supportive of my service related endeavors. They have encouraged me to apply for MAB, helped me practice for interviews, and they have always been there if I needed to vent after a hard day. They have always been supportive, encouraging, and have shown a genuine interest in my passions, which is really meaningful to me.

Name: Lillian Edwards

Major: Communication, Focus Area: Interpersonal.

Hometown: Union, MO

Please describe the service work you take part in.

I've completed service for Refugee and Immigration Services (RIS), the local resettlement agency in Columbia. I started spending my time there because I've always maintained an interest in international populations and global issues, and my grandma was an immigrant from Poland. Her stories and drive from those experiences have always been an important aspect of inspiration for me. While I was a volunteer and intern at RIS I held multiple positions including: World Refugee Day Coordinator, Case Management Assistant, and Holiday Program Coordinator. All of these positions, and any other additional tasks I took on, all centered around the beginning of a refugee's time in America. The office's job begins when individuals arrive at the Columbia airport from their respective refugee camp and ends a anywhere from three to six months after that arrival. During those three to six months we would guide cultural acclimation, health services acclimation, apartment and lifestyle set-up, and provide any other services and assistance needed by clients. I enjoyed my time volunteering at RIS so much that I became an intern last fall through the Office of Service Learning and their CLIP Program.

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

My favorite service activity I've ever done was planning World Refugee Day during the summer of 2017. This was my first job at RIS and one that entrusted me to plan and execute Columbia's annual World Refugee Day celebration, an event held every year to illustrate the community's solidarity with our immigrant and refugee neighbors. The task combined event planning, multi-cultural competence, creativity, and organization - all things I love and am skilled at. It's safe to say completing this task provided me with a lot of professional confidence and respect at the office, which allowed me to do even more with subsequent programs and tasks in my later time at RIS.

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

I would describe my service experience with the word: Life-changing. Before coming to Mizzou, service and volunteering were not activities my family ever introduced me to; it was also not common in my small rural high school. I wasn't averse to volunteering, but I definitely didn't think it would be a guiding principle in my life like it is now. Completing service at RIS revealed to me the happiness and fulfillment that comes from serving others and showed me that whatever direction my career went, it would always involve using my skills and passions to better the lives of other people.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

It's important to me to maintain service as a value in life because it allows me to always focus on others and take part in things bigger than myself. Selfishness is toxic and it can lead people to much unhappiness. When we focus on others we truly flourish and are the best versions of ourselves. Being principled with service means I can hopefully make the world a better place while also keeping myself out of a dark place.

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

My Theta sisters have been a huge support system with my service endeavors. The summer I planned World Refugee Day, one of my sisters came to the event and stayed to support me as I ran around trying to organize the international potluck. That meant so much. Additionally, with immigration and refugee resettlement being a highly politicized topic over the last year, my mental health and optimism declined many times due to negative sentiments about our clients and funding cuts that led to termination for many employees at the office. My sisters were always there to listen and provide an open ear to the sometimes sad realities of non-profit work. Without them I would have never had the confidence to apply for the Global Service Trip I'll be going on in January! I'll be traveling with the Office of Service Learning to Costa Rica to do beach clean up and sea turtle & tropical bird rehabilitation. This differs from my focus on international populations and immigration, however there is a massive interconnection between the environment and people in need/vulnerable populations (like refugees). I feel I need knowledge and experience with both sectors of the problem if I will ever be apart of an effective solution in the future so I hope to gain those on this trip.

Additionally, because of the encouragement of my sisters, I am getting certified to teach English as a foreign language next semester, and then I'll be moving to Costa Rica or Asia following graduation to teach English for a year or a few.

Name: Natalie Gray

Major: Elementary Education, Business Minor

Hometown: Plano, TX

Please describe the service work you take part in.

I volunteer with an organization called Grade A Plus Inc. It’s a nonprofit that runs out of a small church in downtown Columbia. We work one-on-one with kids in grades 3-12 and with the siblings of those students. While the other volunteers tutor one-on-one with students, I have the privilege of working with the primary kids. Every Tuesday I have three 2nd graders that I get to work with. I prepare reading lessons and math activities. The most important aspect of the time we share together is that I invest in these kids make them feel important and show them that they can be successful in school.

On Wednesdays, it’s a little different. Grade A Plus Inc. hosts enrichment activities so we do various things with the middle schoolers in the program, whether it’s dance, yoga, touring Mizzou’s Campus, or teaching basketball lessons.

I also volunteer once a week at Russell Blvd Elementary school.

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

My favorite service activity was a mission trip I took to Jacmel, Haiti, in the summer of 2017. I worked at a day camp for the kids in the area. I had ten 4-6-year-olds in my group. The relationships I built with those kids and the other volunteers running the camp is something I will cherish forever. I am hoping to go back to Haiti this summer to further build those relationships.

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

Inspiring. Over the years I have had the privilege to participate in National Charity League and National Honors Society. Through those organizations, and now through the MU Service Learning Office and Theta, I have been blessed with so many amazing service experiences and have been able to develop and enrich my passion for serving others. The people I have met through these experiences are so amazing, humble and servant-hearted that it truly has inspired me to strive to continue my volunteer work through college and beyond.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

I think my volunteer work over the course of my life has molded me into the person I am today. I have always had a big heart for helping others, specifically children. I decided to pursue a Business minor in addition to my Education degree in hopes of one day having the resources to open my own nonprofit organization benefitting children in this country and across the globe. I believe giving back is an essential aspect of life, even if it’s something small like giving your leftover dinner to a person living on the streets of downtown Columbia, or spending an hour reading with a child who is struggling in school. Those small actions add up and just as the old cliché goes, it becomes very easy to “be the change you wish to see in the world.”

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

The support from my sisters has been incredible, whether it is driving me to Russel to volunteer when I was without a car, or making me a plate from dinner when I am spending extra time working with a student at Grade A Plus Inc., and miss dinner. They are a constant source of encouragement when I am feeling overwhelmed or need a second opinion on lesson ideas. A large reason I fell in love with the women of Theta was their passion for service and I knew it was something we would one day share. The best kind of service is the volunteer experiences I can share with my sisters.

Name: Bri Amidei

Major: Strategic Communication

Hometown: Vernon Hills, IL

Please describe the service work you take part in. Be sure to tell us what you do and why you do it!

I have been involved in service projects ever since I was about 6 years old. I have done everything from working with people with disabilities, food banks at Thanksgiving time, donating clothes for homeless, making blankets for women’s and children’s shelters, and making and delivering cards to assisted living homes. Currently, I am the service director for Kappa Alpha Theta. It has been such an amazing experience being able to plan service events and help people discover a cause that they are passionate in, as well as learn about all of the amazing things that my sisters do.

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

My favorite service activity is when I started my own service project called it “Teddies for Tears.” I would collect new and gently used stuffed animals and donate them to fire departments and first responders, who would then give them to sick and injured children on ambulance calls. I started this in eighth grade and would mostly donate to local fire departments. However, one time I got the chance to travel to southern Illinois and donate over 300 stuffed animals to a private ambulance service in a town that had just gotten hit by an F4 tornado.

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

I would describe my experience with service as valuable. There is so much value in doing service, and I have walked away from every experience with knowledge and perspective that I did not have before. I have learned lessons that help me live life as a better person.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

Service is so important because it opens your eyes to so many different things. Everyone has talents that other people can benefit from, and service is all about being able to share those with each other. I just love the opportunity that service gives you to meet new people and learn about the importance of new causes. It is also a great opportunity to spend time with family and friends while doing something good.

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

Literally every day I learn something about a Theta sister that amazes and inspires me. These girls are so passionate and really are changing the world. Seeing them do so many incredible things pushes me to do more and get more involved in causes that are close to my heart.

Name: Kit Frazen

Major: Journalism with an emphasis in Strategic Communications

Hometown: Kansas City, Mo

Please describe the service work you take part in.

I am on the executive board for Mizzou Alternative Breaks (MAB) and am a counselor for Camp Kesem. I serve as the director of winter marketing. MAB is the largest alternative breaks program in the country so there is a lot of organization involved. I am an executive contact for 26 site leaders who will all be serving throughout the country this January.

Camp Kesem is a free camp for children who have or have ever had a parent affected by cancer. It is completely funded my Mizzou students who raise money through out the year.

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

I can honestly say Camp Kesem has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. The kids who attend the camp are the kind of kids who just radiate pure joy. After I lost my mom to cancer I wanted to do anything I could to prevent anyone else from feeling the way I did. I wanted to be able to share my experiences with others in hopes of making them feel like they aren't alone. In return I met some of the most incredible people who helped me more than I could have ever imagined.

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

If had to describe my service experience in one word it would be educational. I have learned so much about different communities, and more importantly I have learned from so many amazing individuals. It has also been a very introspective experience; I have learned a lot about myself. I have learned that this is something I am passionate about and want to incorporate it into the rest of my life.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

When I left home I felt a longing to be a part of a community. I grew up with the mentality that being part of community meant serving that community. I wanted to get as involved as I could. In addition to doing service in Missouri, I was really interested in being able to service communities that might not have as many resources.

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

I applied for MAB trip freshman year because a Theta in an older member class encouraged me to join. I fell in love with the program and was lucky enough to have Lillie Heigl MC'14 as a mentor for the past few years. Even as an alum, Lillie and I still talk regularly, and she is an amazing support system.

Name: Josie Plowman

Major: Health Sciences with an Emphasis in Rehabilitation

Hometown: Washington, MO

Please describe the service work you take part in. Be sure to tell us what you do and why you do it!

The service work that I have taken part in includes my Mizzou Alternative Break trips and my internship at Wonderland Camp. For Mizzou Alternative Breaks, I have been on three different trips, and I am currently in the process of planning another one. I enjoy site leading these service trips because it gives me a chance to show other Mizzou students the enriching and uplifting joys of serving others. For my internship, I was a high ropes course instructor/camp counselor at a camp serving people with disabilities. This camp’s goal was to celebrate campers for their individuality and aid them in experiencing outdoor recreation without being bounded by their disability.

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

My favorite service activity I have ever done is working as a high ropes course instructor at Wonderland Camp. I loved encouraging the campers to challenge themselves and then watching them succeed in their efforts. For example, I witnessed a camper that uses a wheelchair and has minimal use of his legs climb the thirty-foot rock wall.

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

I would describe my service experience as eye-opening. I think it is hard to truly understand another person’s point of view until you immerse yourself into their world. By educating myself and spending time with the people I am serving, I am able to broaden my perspective and develop a clearer understanding on how I can better serve them.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

I think having service in my life is important because it allows me to take a step back and remember what is truly important in life. Service work can be a very humbling experience.

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

I am always nervous and second-guess myself before applying to new leadership/service roles (such as applying my internship). However, my Theta sisters always encourage me to just give it a chance. They have supported me through all of my failures and successes.

Name: Greta Lariosa

Major: Health Sciences, Pre-Professional with minors in Nutrition and Psychology

Hometown: Jefferson City, MO

Please describe the service work you take part in. Be sure to tell us what you do and why you do it!

For the past two semesters, I have been an active volunteer coach for Adapted Gymnastics, which is a modified gymnastics program for children with various impairments. I love getting the opportunity to run around the gym with the kids and jump on the trampoline!

As far as service trips go, this past summer, I took part in a youth empowerment Mizzou Alternative Breaks (MAB) trip to Nashville and Atlanta. Additionally, I will be going to Honduras in January 2019 for Mizzou Global Brigades. I’m so ecstatic!

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

My MAB trip! As a freshman last year, I was very hesitant to go on a trip with a bunch of strangers, but it ended up being one of my favorite memories of my first year of college. For service in Nashville, my group volunteered at the McNeilly Center for Children, which provides quality early care and education for children of low-income families. In Atlanta, we participated in a wide variety of service sites, including Books for Africa (book shipment company to Africa), Open Hand (meal packaging), and the Gateway Center for the Homeless. Along with giving back to the community, I made some great friends and hilarious memories! Thinking about this trip makes me smile every single time!

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

Fulfilling. I love taking the time out of my busy schedule to volunteer in something as a reminder that I am a part of something bigger than myself. Taking a step outside and reflecting on my place in the grand scheme of things gives me a greater sense of belonging.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

Having service as a value in your life is important because volunteering teaches people of all ages and backgrounds about understanding and compassion. With community service, there are always opportunities to improve and/or leave your mark on your community.

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

Even though I have only been a Theta for two months, I feel as if I have learned about so many amazing opportunities for volunteer work all because of my sisters. They encourage me to be the best version of myself, and I am truly thankful to have a support system like this.

Rachel Hehr

Hometown: Lake St. Louis, MO

Major: Political Science and Spanish with a Geography minor

Please describe the service work you take part in.

I am currently an intern at Heart of Missouri CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), focused on helping with administrative tasks and assisting in the planning and facilitation of fundraising events throughout the year. As someone who understands firsthand how impactful the actions of a court can be on a child’s life, I believe wholeheartedly in CASA’s mission. I love interning in our local office because it allows me to better understand the essential work CASA does for children in our community, and it gives me the opportunity to see how Theta can better support our beneficiary.

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

My favorite service activity I’ve ever done is Russell Fall Fest. I have participated in this festival with Theta for the past two years, and it’s always a blast to get to interact with the kids there.

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

Growth. My service experience has been a cycle of growth. By putting my time and energy into helping my community grow towards a specific goal, I have learned so much about myself and have grown so much as a person.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

I think having service as a value is incredibly important because it has greatly expanded my worldview and has allowed me to advocate for what I am passionate about on a broader scale.

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

If it weren’t for my Theta sisters, I wouldn’t have known about the ability to have a CASA internship experience. They have been so supportive throughout my time in this role and have also volunteered their own time to help at CASA’s various events.

Name: Holly Enowski

Major: Science & Agricultural Journalism

Hometown: Eldon, Missouri

Please describe the service work you take part in.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved food — the stories it tells, how good it tastes, how it's produced. Most of my service work centers around food insecurity, and I’ve been able to do that at MU through Tiger Pantry, the Deaton Institute for University Leadership in International Development and the Deaton Scholars Program, CAFNR organizations and Mizzou Alternative Breaks. College students are among the most underserved and misunderstood populations when it comes to hunger, and Tiger Pantry actively works to address the stigma, provide resources and food access, educate the community and empower our clients to no longer need our services. I am the executive Resource Coordinator for the pantry, so I am responsible for our Transfer to Tiger Pantry meal swipes program, Tiger Pantry Cares social work intervention service, client and community engagement, facilitating campus conversations and will be spearheading our fundraiser “Thankful for Tiger Pantry” that launches November 1. My day-to-day varies greatly (from working a shift to teaching a graduate social work class about food policy, to speaking to an organization about hosting a swipes drive!), but it’s incredibly worthwhile to know that one client is benefitting from the services we can provide or the contact we can help establish. You’re not you when you’re hungry - which means you can’t be the student, friend, leader or person that you were made to be. I believe every student, every person, deserves the right to food, and my work with Tiger Pantry helps drill that message home, with students, staff and faculty alike. The Deaton Scholars Program is a peer mentorship program that I co-founded my freshman year to create change agents in the MU community that genuinely wanted to make a difference in some of the world’s biggest problems and did not know where to start. Under the leadership of Chancellor Emeritus Brady Deaton and his wonderful wife Anne, we were able to create this program, implement several student-driven community projects because of it, and many Thetas have benefitted from participating! It centers on using your networks, talents and ideas to make the world a better place through community, capacity building and competency….it’s super fun and the projects other students have come up with are really incredible! Food insecurity will never be solved without my farmer friends (I grew up on a farm and am studying agricultural journalism!) so my work as Collegiate Farm Bureau president and in other CAFNR organizations has helped me bridge that gap. I led a Mizzou Alternative Breaks trip last spring to Houston, TX centered on homelessness and poverty, and the stories I heard from the many people we were able to interact with that week will always serve as a reminder of why solving hunger and the inherent problems in our society that contribute to its severity is so so important. I am also a head coach for Heart of Missouri Girls on the Run at Russell Boulevard Elementary School and served as one of the chairs of service for homecoming this year! I am active in the Miss America Organization where I currently serve as Miss Fleur de Lis working on an initiative entitled Hungry for Change that prepares all people to become “hunger fighters” in their communities with what they have where they are in the way that best serves the people around them. I also founded the Missouri Youth Institute, an international development centered youth conference, and work with The World Food Prize. I feel called to end hunger in our lifetime and right now, I am an intern for USAID’s Feed the Future initiative which is SUCH a neat experience!

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

My favorite service activity is probably my work with the Miss America Organization, in part because so many people do not realize that service is such a large part of the work you do as a titleholder and in the job of Miss Missouri or Miss America. I love stripping back the stereotypes and being able to show that the program is more than what meets the eye — for me, my voice and power in advocating for hunger efforts came from my work with Miss America, and it’s been so fun to use that avenue as a way to reach more elementary students and organizations that otherwise would’ve been harder to reach on my own. Our national philanthropic partner is Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and as a triplet myself, this organization is very important to me. Last year I received the Miss America Community Service Award for over 400 hours of community work, and it’s a testament to the emphasis on service this program has brought into my life.

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

Refreshing! Every service experience I’ve had and every person that I’ve encountered has left me more refreshed than before. Whether it’s seeing a conference come to fruition and attendees taking meaningful lessons home, or seeing the social media post of someone who finally sees that hunger exists in their communities, my service experiences have been refreshing for me.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

Service for me has always been a kind of stress reliever and it’s one of my favorite things to do. Service keeps me grounded and reminds me of what the people around me are capable of and what we can achieve when we work together. It’s important to have service as a value in my life because it makes me feel whole - I’d be incomplete without service and the lessons and values it brings me.

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

My sisters have been so supportive! I have girls who will stop me at lunch or dinner or text me randomly who want to know what is going on with my work with hunger! It’s so inspiring to know that my sisters care about what I am doing and want to be involved in any way. I recently worked with MSA President Julia Wapota (a Theta!) on Tiger Pantry stuff, and I coach Girls on the Run with two other Thetas! My sisters are always the ones there willing to join me.

Name: Ellen Schnelle

Major: Social Work and Political Science

Hometown: Lockwood, MO

Please describe the service work you take part in.

I am the Director of an organization called Mizzou for Malawi. We partner with the Global Orphan Project, to help fund a primary school called Pothawira Academy in Salima, Malawi. We have events each year to raise money for the school, as well as canning downtown, and having profit shares around Columbia. Our biggest event was this last Spring with former Bachelor Ben Higgins.

What is your favorite service activity you’ve ever done and why?

This past summer I had the opportunity to ride 100 kilometers on a bike across Malawi, to raise 100k to start a Secondary School at Pothawira. When I joined Mizzou for Malawi I never thought I would have the opportunity to go to Malawi, or to interact with the kids we work so hard to give an education to. It was the best trip of my life and one of the greatest opportunities I will ever have.

If you could describe your service experience in one word, what would it be? Why?

Impact. I have seen the impact that service work can do, but I have been impacted enough through my service experience that I am able to encourage others to be service-oriented as well.

Why do you think having service as a value in your life is important?

Service is the greatest way to connect the world. Service is a way to give people opportunity.

How have your Theta sisters encouraged you in your endeavors related to service?

Being in Theta has given me the opportunity to be surrounded by strong, passionate women. Women who have supported and pushed me to be the kindest, most impactful woman that I can be, and women that helped spark my love for service.