Katie Britt
2^nd Year, Pre-Med Biomedical Studies Major /Chemistry & Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Minors

I decided to join WILL to meet new people and to make a difference in the lives of others. I see WILL having a positive impact on my life through the amazing friendships I have formed; and, also by having the chance to observe the action project of each lovely lady in the group.

Amanda Cramer
Psychology major/ Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor

I joined WILL because I wanted to be part of a group that supports the growth of women in leadership. It will give me the opportunity to learn from a group of diverse women, who all have unique goals and ideas about leadership.

I am motivated and inspired by all the women (and men!) on UC’s campus who are embracing feminism and activism to make change. I can see the community growing and it inspires me to keep growing, too.

I expect that WILL will give me the experience and education I need to be a confident and motivational leader on campus and, one day, in my career. I am also hoping that what I learn this year will help me to be a successful graduate student in the future!

Abby Daffner
Third Year, Sociology Major/ Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Minor

I joined WILL because I was looking for a way to get involved on campus and this seemed like a great way to make a difference in our community.  I am very, very happy to have the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing organization and to surround myself with such strong, caring women.  I think WILL is an important part of the UC community because any opportunity for women to get together and make a difference is important. What we stand for is significant and any way we can make our voices heard is fantastic! I look forward to growing in this program and as a woman in general.

Niki Dorsett
Senior, Communications and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Major

Niki chose to join WILL in order to be part of a team committed to social change. Positive learning experiences of WILL has inspired Niki to incorporate her knowledge and experience into action research methods. Niki will use the skills she developed in WILL to further her academic research interests and expand her activism resources.

Marie Finnerson
Fourth Year

 I joined WILL because I am interested in a career that involves developing and empowering women or the youth. I believe that women are significant to life. Without others recognition of our significance and us recognizing our own significance/worth, it’ll hinder the impact women have in society. I learned that WILL is a community that is based on a collaborative force to reach a common objective/goal. Here in WILL I enjoy that we created interpersonal bonds. These bonds allowed us to have created our own support systems.  I also learned that WILL is built to involve activism and knowledge on social justice issue. I learned WILL goal is to provide us with knowledge. WILL plans to give us skills and opportunities to apply those skills with knowledge from a classroom setting. Women in society inspired me to join WILL and provide my services to this specific community. I am passionate about women empowerment. What we as women tend to be subjected and objected to motivate me and inspire me to learn how to build and develop our community. My Introduction to this program has motivated me to move forward with developing and preparing myself to go out in the community and ACT. By being a member of WILL, It’ll impact my future by allowing me to: network, build interpersonal relationships, and also gain the qualifications I need to succeed. These qualifications are also fundamentals used for other jobs, position, and careers. WILL is going to be very insightful and a pleasure to be a part of. I am proud that I am associated with this Organization.

Sicari Franklin
2^nd Year, International Affairs Major

I joined WILL to gain leadership experience and progress as a female leader on campus. This is also a stepping stone into my ultimate goal for my life.

I most excited about meeting people with the same drive and passion I have for the progression of women leaders. WILL has introduced me to some phenomenal ladies all different, with different ideas on how to achieve the same goal. It has provided with a group of ladies that in hopes grow to become like sisters. WILL is important because it sets up leaders to take part in the UC community and can be resources to others. It brings together people with similar passions but different ideas causing all to learn from each other. It also helps bring awareness to the UC Women’s Center and all the resources it has to offer.

Ashley Goreski
Second year,  Interior Design at DAAP  Major/ Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Minor.  

I enjoy the community in WILL where I have an opportunity to grow as a woman and leader with unique people who value similar ideals.  I enjoy helping women and children and making the world a better place.

Daycia D. Harley               
Junior, Aerospace Engineer        

Why did I join WILL? To grow as a person and as a leader.             
Things I've enjoyed? Learning more about women's rights. Despite being in another country, I find myself sticking up more for being a woman instead of being quiet and holding back. It is also interesting to hear others stories as well, coming from different backgrounds. 
What Motivates Me:  A lot of things motivate me, but the biggest thing ischange.            
Positive Impact: It will allow me to become more open minded about this world (as it already has which I can see being in a whole different country), and it will allow me to grow as a proud woman.

Jalisa Holifield is from Cincinnati, Ohio and is a transfer student majoring in Dietetics at The University of Cincinnati. When she is not carefully planning her future, Jalisa enjoys Zumba, nature and traveling. Through the WILL program Jalisa hopes to further develop leadership skills and she hopes to make connections that will impact her remaining years at UC in a positive way.

Emily Imhoff      
Second year majoring in Communication and Journalism (Pre-Law)/ Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Minor

What initially drew me towards WILL was the idea of an all women's leadership group. I'm a strong advocate for women in elected official positions, and being in an environment with other passionate and supportive women could only help build such a progressive majority. After bonding with the WILL team, I've come to appreciate each woman's individual take on feminism and their visions as an activist. These women have introduced me to ideas and have shared stories that inspire me to fight harder. I look forward to the growth of WILL throughout our involvement. Through WILL, I'm confident that my knowledge of feminism, leadership skills, and friendships will grow immensely. 

Stacey Masur
Sophomore double majoring in Neuroscience and Spanish, with a minor in Women's, Gender, and Sexuaility Studies. 

I hope to attend medical school in the future and to use my degree to make a difference in health care in third world countries. My favorite color is pink and I really enjoy American History. I have a passion for dance and I have been teaching dance for 6 years. I joined WILL to meet new people and to make a difference in the lives of others. I am looking forward to this year and cannot wait to see all this amazing group accomplishes!

Ana Montalvan 
Sophomore,   Health Promotion and Education  

I decided to join WILL because I admire their mission to empower women to use their voice and speak their truth.  I also find it to be a great organization to help me and all the other amazing women leaders in the group further develop leadership skills.  I enjoy having the opportunity to make new friends and to share a new journey as a group with other women leaders.   

Corinne Patterson           
Fifth Year, English/ Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies      

I joined WILL because I wanted to be a part of a group of diverse, driven women on campus. I needed a space where I could network with my peers and make connections between my studies and real life.

The most important lesson I have drawn from my work in WGSS is that we all experience varying degrees of oppression and privilege at any given moment; these experiences are simultaneous and they vary according to place and time. As much as I am motivated by my own oppression, I am much more moved by my privilege and how it relates to the oppression of others. 

I hope that WILL  can help me become the person I want to be when I finally graduate.

Amanda Schroeder         
Junior, Psychology/Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Major

I’m Amanda Schroeder. I’m twenty and go to UC, Go Bearcats! My friends and family are the most important thing to me and they will always come first. I enjoy being outside, playing guitar, making people laugh, and dancing. I always keep smiling and stay positive because life’s a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about. My new found passion is empowering educating and leading women to be the best they can be.

My reaction to WILL so far is that I have already learned so much about myself and the beautiful strong women around me that has completely changed and altered how I go about and experience my life now I am a better listener and more thoughtful in the aspect that everyone is different and has difficulties in their life and to accept and love them. The retreat also helped guide me into the understanding of where I want to go with my career path in psychology and WGSS in empowering women who have been through traumatic events in teaching them correct coping mechanisms. 

Lauren Wales

Lauren is delighted to be pursuing a bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on American Birth practices and influenced primarily by the methods and theories of anthropology and women's studies.  In addition to her work as a non-traditional student, Lauren is a mother, a licensed massage therapist and bodyworker in independent practice and a community connector for Starfire U, a local non-profit.  She is a passionate birth activist and birth worker active in the national grassroots movement for change, and is excited to be sharing opportunities to grow her leadership potential in a community of incredible and like-minded women via WILL.  Her long term goals include graduate and post-graduate work in research and policy shaping around birth as a human rights issue in the US, as well as the continuation of her studies in midwifery and bodywork.

Mary Singer
Sophomore, Social Work & Spanish Major/ Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Minor

I am a sophomore majoring in social Work and Spanish; I'm minoring in Women Gender Studies. I joined WILL because I saw it as an opportunity to grow, change, and learn. I wanted to learn what it means to be a woman for myself and what it means to be a woman in society. I also joined WILL to join a community of like-minded individuals who wanted similar goals as I. I'm most excited about making friends and connections through WILL. I'm also very excited to see where this journey will take me and to see how I will change. WILL is important to the UC community because women should be able to have a resource for themselves that is for their specific needs and improvement. There are many programs catered for leadership for both men and women, but not enough tailored for just women.”