STF*{Syracuse}'s Nina Keehan, Christen Brandt, and Chelsea Orcutt with Nick Kristof in November
The fall semester was a busy one for all of us in She’s The First*{Syracuse}. Our first goal was to become a recognized student organization. This process consisted of filling out forms, creating a constitution (STF Vice President/Exeuctive Director Christen Brandt was a huge help with this!), assembling an awesome team of officers, and meeting with the Office of Student Activities. All the work was worth it when we were granted official recognition at the end of the semester! We also had our first general interest meeting, and we are planning to hold another one when we return to campus later this month.
Of course, the highlight of the semester was meeting Nick Kristof when he came to SU to speak about his book,Half the Sky. Not only were we inspired by his presentation, but we were amazed at how many of the attendees were involved with local Syracuse organizations that are devoted to promoting education in the developing world. (For example, Christen later enjoyed meeting with Yassin from Starfish International!)
At our end-of-semester officers meeting, we brainstormed a number of creative fundraiser ideas for the spring, and our favorite was a benefit concert, similar to GIRLS WHO ROCK. We’re currently working on securing a venue (we’re considering Funk N’ Waffles, a popular hangout for SU students that features live music), and reaching out to other on-campus groups that are focused on music, international aid, and community service, as well as Syracuse Women in Music. The Office of Student Activities encourages student organizations to partner for large-scale events, so we thought this would be a great opportunity to create some valuable relationships with other student groups.
In addition to the benefit concert, we’re considering holding a fashion show fundraiser, and partnering with fashion design students looking to share their work. We also discussed holding film screenings, organizing a book club where we read books that address the value of girls’ education (Three Cups of Tea, Half the Sky, etc.), and having dinner parties and collecting donations from guests.
Our long-term goal is to eventually hold a summit for campus leaders and members of the community to educate them about the importance of girls’ education. This would include speakers, screenings, and other activities that will spread awareness.
We’ve got a lot on our plate for the upcoming semester, but we’re excited about it. We’re looking forward to sharing ideas with the other campus chapters and developing STF*{Syracuse} into a true force of nature on the SU campus!
We are grateful for any suggestions or feedback you have, which you can leave in the comments below, on our Facebook wall, or tweet @STF_Syracuse!
