ECU She's the First Chapter represents at national summit

“To become powerful, I only need one thing: an education.” One of the visiting She’s the First (STF) Scholars, Carlota from Peru, started her STF Summit presentation with this quote from Malala. What better way to affirm why 200+ high school and college students from around the world came to spend a weekend in the Big Apple? Social media played an integral part in She’s the First’s fifth Annual Campus Leadership Summit.

For the first time, the main stage sessions were livestreamed, and highlight speakers included Devonte Rosero (Magicians Without Borders), Callie Schweitzer (Editor-in-Chief of Motto by Time), and Erin Schrode (youngest person ever to run for Congress). You can watch them (and many more!) here: https://www.facebook.com/shesthefirst/videos. 

The ECU chapter of She’s the First was well-represented at the Summit this year, with six Executive Board members in attendance, including Co-Presidents (and Honors College seniors) Samantha Gonzalez and Keerthana Velappan. Another first for this year was breakout session tracks: Community Engagement, Global Citizenship, and Leadership Development. From building leadership tool kits to raising awareness about girls’ education on campus to creating videos for social change, all of the sessions proved to be useful in different capacities. And of course, it wouldn’t be She’s the First without a tie-dye cupcake bar! 

The ECU chapter members had a successful year with regards to fundraising, but the highlight of this year’s Summit was something that even they were not expecting. During the Campus Awards Ceremony, STF ECU was presented with the award for Outstanding Achievement in Global Citizenship, one of five awards given that night. They had prioritized global awareness speakers and activities this past year, but as a relatively new chapter, they felt fortunate to have even been nominated. 

Wrapping up yet another STF Summit, they left with the wise words of another visiting STF Scholar, Angelica from Guatemala, who said, “Be yourself wherever and whenever because you are a rock star; do your best every day, and never give up.”