Meet Sophia Schwartz: Our July Leading Woman

Name: Sophia Schwartz

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Joplin, MO

What are your career/life goals?

One of my biggest goals is to join the Peace Corps after college. I enjoy volunteering and I would love it if I had the opportunity to help out people across the globe. Another goal I have is to get my doctorate in Psychology and open my own counseling firm.

What is your favorite part about your major and why did you choose it?

My favorite part about psychology is that you get to help people in their personal journies. It’s an amazing feeling to have when you know you have helped another person achieve growth. I chose psychology because I believe mental health is important and everyone should be allowed the opportunity to heal and grow.

You recently attended Theta’s Emerging Leaders Institute. Can you tell us a little more about your experience there and how it impacted you?

Emerging Leaders Institute is a weekend event put on by the Theta Foundation that has sisters from chapters all across the country and Canada come together to learn skills that will improve their leadership abilities. Throughout the weekend we looked deep into ourselves and found strengths that we could apply back at our chapters. This experience taught me that leadership is a journey of self-discovery, and you have to be vulnerable in order to be courageous. I absolutely loved ELI, from being able to bond with other Leading Women to growing more as an individual.

What organizations or hobbies are you passionate about?

I am currently the Fundraising Director for Theta. Holding this position allows me to be involved in raising money for our philanthropy, Court Appointed Special Advocates! I love doing this because I know that the money is going to help kids make decisions for their future and allow them to have someone there to be a constant in their life. I believe that every child should have someone in their life to advocate for them, that’s why I'm so passionate about our philanthropy.

How have your experiences in Theta changed you?

The Emerging Leaders Institute has definitely changed me for the better. I have gained more confidence from that weekend alone than I have in a very long time. It has helped me see that my weaknesses aren’t always a bad thing. It has also taught me that you have to be open to new possibilities so that amazing opportunities can come to you. I am so thankful that Theta gave me that experience because I know it will make me a stronger woman.

What does Theta mean to you?

To me, Theta means letting our differences unite us together. Theta is made up of so many different women with so many different interests and I fell in love with how they embraced that when I was going through recruitment. Our differences allow us to have help from others who have strengths in our weak patches. We push each other forward and have a support system to fall back on. To me, Theta is a true sisterhood that is going to be there to help you and push you to your fullest potential.

Do you have any advice for the underclassmen?

My biggest advice is to be true to yourself. Don’t let others block the path you’re meant to be on. And most importantly, don’t be so harsh on the true you. There’s no one like you, so love it all.

Do you have a specific favorite Theta memory?

One of my favorite memories in Theta happened during recruitment. I was very nervous on Preference night because I was so anxious that I was going to pick the wrong house. I went to my Pi Chi and even called my mom to make sure I was making the right choice. My mom told me that I knew which house I was meant to be in in my heart, and it clicked. I ended the call and a girl came up to me to see if I was okay because I was crying in a hallway from the stress. We talked, and I found out that she was feeling just as stressed as I was. After that, we spent the rest of the night together just talking about everything and more. The next morning, on Bid Day, I found out that the girl and I both chose Theta. My favorite moment was when I opened my card to see we were going to be sisters. Thank you Abs, for helping a crying girl on the floor.