Hear From Our Scholars

Last semester, I was accepted to participate in Muhlenberg’s New Orleans 2018 Alternative Spring Break trip to help with the ongoing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Each year the Office of Community Engagement offers students opportunities to participate in volunteering experiences in different states across the nation. Muhlenberg students team up with established organizations with a focus on service and helping others in need.

​The SHE-CAN staff chatted with scholar Grace Imanariyo, sophomore at Muhlenberg College, about her passion for singing, ability to play many instruments and how music has helped her evolve in the field of computer science. Back home, Grace began to sing around the age of six, and she’s grateful to be able to express her creativity on campus.​SHE-CAN: Back in December, you blew the staff, mentors and scholars away with your voice at SHE-CAN’s Karaoke night. Has singing always been a part of your life? 

​In Rwandan culture, it’s inappropriate to live for only one’s self. I’m thankful I learned this lesson early on because it’s helped me realize the incredible impact I can have not only as a leader on my campus but in my personal endeavors. As a sophomore at Tufts University, I’ve become more involved on campus and am dedicating my time to causes that are important to me. 

​Before heading back to Bennington to start my second semester of sophomore year, I spent seven weeks in the Bay Area completing my Field Work Term (FWT). In the winter, every Bennington student is required to complete 210 hours of work gaining real world experience through jobs, internships and entrepreneurial endeavors that relate to their studies and professional ambitions. For my FWT, I interned with a nonprofit organization called AnnieCannons. AnnieCannons is based in Oakland and helps women who are survivors of human trafficking by training them in coding and other in-demand technology skills.

​Immediately after SHE-CAN’s Leadership Summit at the Point Bonita YMCA, I won a full scholarship to and participated in Winterim, an intensive entrepreneurship program hosted by the John E. and Susan S. Bates Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership at Lewis and Clark College. With my newfound skills I gained at leadership training, I felt confident sharing my ideas with large groups of people and working effectively in teams. The program ran from January 8-12, and throughout the week we had CEOs of major social enterprises such as Mercy Corps and People Power come talk to us about the importance of creativity, connections, and flexibility. Although it was fast paced and very intense, my 2018 couldn't have started any better.