Interviewer: Tiffany Liao
Interviewee: Farrah Gerasta
MVM is the acronym for Most Valuable Member in WIB. The Publications committee hosts a poll every month to scout for nominations of the most hardworking member of the month. We will then interview her so the organization can see the dedication from different members. This is also a way for Publications to be more engaged with other committees. Come back to our blog at the end of every month for the full interview of each of our MVMs! Anyway, here is the full interview I had with Farrah:
T: Hello Farrah, congratulations for being chosen as February MVM! We received a few nominations and some of them say that you go above and beyond for WIB. How long have you been in the organization and what are your plans for the next year?
I have been in WIB since last year during my freshman year. I started as the co-chair of fundraising under Genna. Then, I ran to be VP of fundraising the following year which is my current position now. I learned a lot from the people in WIB and I would like others to have the same experience. I had the chance to showcase new ideas and take charge of how I wanted to execute it. Being a part of WIB has helped me develop my leadership skills and grow as a person. I can be quite shy sometimes, but being involved in this organization and meeting so many new people has pushed me to come out of my shell.
I am planning to run for Executive President by continuing to improve WIB and making it great for all of you. One thing I would like to start as Executive President would be to create a training program for members to develop the skills pertaining to the roles an executive board or a board member. When joining WIB, many members including myself, do not know the responsibilities that our committee chairs take on. By giving them a head start before they apply for the position, we can create a better team to ensure that WIB’s mission and values are passed on for years to come.
T: Within these two years that you have been with WIB, what is the biggest change you have seen?
I see that there is a lot more teamwork, and committee members are more involved. I love seeing that as it will foster new female leaders and strengthen the community we have now. For example, my co-chair Devanie, I met her in my freshman seminar and she joined one semester after I did. She developed so much within the past year by taking initiative, helping me take care of everything, and even planning her own events. Her first event that she planned all on her own was The Golden Race: Scavenger Hunt. I had nothing to do with it except following up with her and guiding her if she had any questions. I am really proud of her and thankful for the work she has done for WIB. She is always willing to go to any event, both WIB and co-sponsorships, even though her requirements have been fulfilled. I have seen this with other committee members as well. They actually want to attend these events and not because it is mandatory for them. Another change I have seen is the improvement on relationships between committees. Not only do they work on their own projects, but committees will take the time to work and support each other. There is a bigger sense of community and I am glad to be a part of it.
T: What are you currently working on that is outside of WIB?
Outside of WIB… my life is WIB! Besides school, I work most of the time. However, if I have the free time, I would contribute it to WIB. As a matter of fact, I am currently working on our new annual event called R.I.S.E. It will represent our vision for the awareness of women’s rights. Each letter stands for a characteristic of powerful women. R for resilient, I for independent, S for strong, and E for empowered. I want this event to empower women to stand up and rise for what they believe in. I want to show that women have voices of their own.