Meet Lauren Farello, who was in the 2010-2011 US & International Politics cohort. Lauren is the most recent recipient of the Marcia Rosenthall Internship Fellowship, which is available only to Women's Leadership Program students. Lauren is an International Affairs major and a Spanish minor.
∫Sigma Iota Rho, GW Club Softball
Internships/Jobs: i-Act 2011, Assemblymember Betsy Butler 2011, Stop Genocide Now 2012, Wilderness Camp 2011-2012
Conference Presentations: Women as Global Leaders Conference at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi 2012
Study Abroad: Universidad de Sevilla (Spring 2012 and Fall 2012)
On Academics: While I have always thought very highly of my WLP education, I realized its true value after I graduated from the program. At the end of every semester we had to write a lengthy term paper and turn it in the day of the final. While the program itself was challenging, this paper was by far the most daunting. However, these papers effectively taught me how to write a formal research paper, which is an essential tool to being a successful college student. Compared to other students in my classes, I felt completely prepared to write any type of paper that my professor asked us to write. After graduating from WLP I felt confident in my abilities to do research and develop my ideas in a paper.
On Community: I loved living with the people I took classes with and I think it definitely enhances the WLP experience. My best friends today are my friends from WLP and I don't think it would be this way if we didn't all live together. In fact, I am abroad right now in Sevilla with a friend from WLP and we are going to be roommates in FOFAC when we get return, as well. I loved that we were always around to help each other with homework or that we could easily knock on each others doors for a late night study session. Living together helped us not only helped us become friends but it also helped us grow academically.
Looking Back: Looking back, I think I would say that my biggest piece of advice would be to take advantage of the Symposiums. Although I enjoyed all of them, I had a few favorites that I wish I would have followed up with. They are great resources and have a lot of great things to teach you. If there is a speaker you particularly enjoy, make a point to tell her and if she offers you her business card, follow up with an email. These are great opportunities to learn about different career paths and to network with women who are in the field.