From the president
Gloria Simon, a junior student at Illinois College, has effectively been an organizational change agent on campus. As a student leader among her peers encouraging positive participation and engagement, as a lynchpin bringing together campus and external entities to create meaningful educational opportunities for the entire campus, and as a volunteer in the local community, Ms. Simon embodies the concept of "actions speak louder than words. " The Newman Civic Fellowship will allow her the opportunity to hone her leadership skills and develop an even greater understanding of what she will be able to accomplish in the future.
Personal Statement
As a Sociology major and Gender and Women's Studies minor, I am very passionate about issues of domestic violence. I invited Mujeres Latinas en Accion to participate in a convo in fall 2021, to guide our campus on what domestic violence is and how we can prevent/help survivors. My first experience with domestic violence was at about 5 to 6 years old when my mother was yelling at my father, "please not in front of the children." But we all knew, my three other siblings, what happened in their bedroom. As I got older and saw my mother hurt over and over. I knew I never wanted to personally go through it nor let other survivors go through years of abuse. Mujeres Latinas en Accion helped my mother and her children, which is why I brought them to campus to share their message. I am also an executive member of PATH, a student organization that helps survivors of domestic and sexual assault and spreads awareness. I believe little steps are important to solve an issue that has always existed. I may not change the world but I will be part of helping improve other people's lives.