Senior Farewell 2020: Lauren and Gina
With the Spring 2020 semester now closed, the Women’s Leadership Initiative congratulates two graduating members of our Executive Board. Both Political Science majors, Lauren Preski and Gina Maria Vreeland, joined the organization in hopes to promote female professional development and to create real change on campus. It is safe to say both female leaders did just that. Lauren served as Treasurer and Co-President while Gina was promoted as the founding Director of Communications after serving as Protégé to the Director of Newsletters. Lauren spearheaded the Distributing Dignity Drive on campus which WLI is now proud to promote as our annual fundraising event. Working with Distributing Dignity, WLI collects pads, tampons, and unused bras/underwear for women in need. Additionally, Gina established the Women’s Health Subcommittee, which ensured the installation of trash receptacles for the disposal of feminine hygiene products in women’s restroom stalls on SJU’s campus in 2019 (and the installation of receptacles in Xavier Hall post Fall 2019 integration of female residents). Both of their influences throughout their time serving on the Executive Board have had such great impact in the success and outreach of this organization.
Lauren,
Clearly, you wore many hats during your years serving on WLI’s Executive Board. We have known you as Treasurer, Interim Vice President, and Co-President. Through these roles and through the many hours we have spent looking up to you, we have gained a forever friend. From you, we have learned how to be effective leaders within and outside of WLI. We have gained a better understanding of how to use WLI as a platform and microphone for those who don’t have one and we have also grasped your passion for professional communication. It is these fundamental skills that we have learned from you that we plan to continue in the following years to come. We have no doubt that because of your dedication to grow WLI, our organization now has an impressive presence on SJU’s campus and an Executive Board of 15 strong young individuals to continue to carry out our mission statement. Your impressive works go beyond your role description on the Executive Board. You successfully implemented an annual drive partnering with Distributing Dignity at SJU. Since your sophomore year, you have led the drive, helping collect tampons, pads and new bras to distribute to women in need in our local area. We are eternally proud of your work for Distributing Dignity and will continue this annual drive to honor your hard work and legacy as a dedicated member of WLI.
Your leadership in your time as a Co-President (along with VP and Treasurer) will not be forgotten, but it is your role as a friend to all which has made you such an irreplaceable part of our hearts. Your generous demeanor during our weekly Executive Board meetings, the car rides to and from events and conversations in passing on campus will be missed dearly and we wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors. You have always been willing to give your hand to assist us in any conflict that has arisen in our short time thus far at SJU, which has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. We have no doubt that you will take these skills developed through your many roles in WLI into the world of Politics.
As your proteges last year we developed a strong relationship that I will carry with me throughout the rest of our time at Saint Joes. You have become a role model of ours and we look up to your ambition, diligence, and the way that you stand by what you believe no matter what obstacles may stand in your way. You have taught us how to be strong women and we can not thank you enough for helping me make WLI a safe space for us on campus. Although things will never be the same without you, we will always carry on your legacy and use what you have taught us to better WLI and ourselves as women.
All our Best,
Maddie DeMarco
Co-President
Amanda Fanning
Treasurer
To learn more about Lauren and her time with WLI click here to read her E-Board Spotlight.
Gina,
We truly could not have asked for a better person to lead as the Director of Communications for the past two years. Your creativity and innovation in this organization has inspired us all to create better content. As your team members, we have seen your constant commitment to WLI working 24/7 to keep our presence strong and intact while creating concepts that have increased our engagement exponentially. The Communications Team agrees that the quality of content that you have produced has always been so thoughtful, and you have pushed us to do our best.
We all know that being a leader can be one of the hardest tasks, yet you have made it look easy. The respect and helpfulness you have shown us is something we seek to emulate. Gina, you are a true leader by nature. You have sought out and achieved endeavors many people would not have the courage to do. The Women’s Health Subcommittee you created, which successfully installed trash receptacles for feminine products universally throughout campus, was a striking feat. This achievement demonstrated to us that WLI really does have the potential to make real change on campus. Your compassion, level-headedness, and organization has been so critical to the success of our team. Not only are you such an incredible leader, but you are also a true friend. Gina, we thank you for always being a listening ear and for really caring about us not only as team members, but as close friends. You have shaped the future of WLI’s communications. Words cannot describe how in debt we are to you for every detail you attended to. Your work truly does not go unnoticed. Without your efforts, Gina, WLI would not be the successful organization it is today. You have laid such a solid, strong foundation for us to continue to grow.
You will be so incredibly missed, but the work you tirelessly did for this organization will always live on. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your dedication to make WLI what it is today. It is without doubt that you will go on to do amazing things in this world. We wish you the very best.
Best Regards,
Liz Sweeney ‘21
Comm Team Member, Social Media
Christine DiSanti ‘21
Comm Team Member, Graphics/Content
Kyra Kopacz ‘22
Comm Team Member, Social Media
Kylie Willams ‘23
Comm Team Protégé
To learn more about Gina and her time with WLI, click here to read her E-Board Spotlight.
Both Lauren and Gina have been such key leaders in making the Women’s Leadership Initiative such an active, present organization. Their hard work lives on in how they have encouraged many of our Executive Board members to carry out their legacy. Without Lauren and Gina’s dedication to the mission, WLI would not have reached and touched the hearts of so many young female leaders as it has this past academic year. We are confident these women will go on to seek incredible endeavors as they are fully equipped with the skills to succeed and thrive in their prospective fields. The Women’s Leadership Initiative Executive Board honors and thanks Lauren and Gina for their commitment and loyalty to our organization.
About the Author:
Liz Sweeney, Political Science Major, Minors in Psychology and Public Policy, Class of 2021
As Director of Communications, my main responsibility is leading a team of 4 women who compromise the Communications Team. My team is responsible for the entirety of WLI’s online and print presence. My goal is to help create an online presence that represents and demonstrates WLI as being an accessible and lively community for all who are interested in what we do!