“She was becoming herself and daily casting aside that fictitious self which we assume like a garment with which to appear before the world.”
–Kate Chopin, “The Awakening”
Photo and text by Amanda McDonald
In 2014 there were 24 women CEOs in the Fortune 500. That same year, there were 27 in the Fortune 1000. These women include Marissa Mayer, the current president and CEO of Yahoo! and Indra Nooyi, the current CEO of PepsiCo. These women and more have inspired interviews, articles, and news headlines such as one from CNBC, “In the CEO battle of the sexes, women are winning”.
On September 20, 2014, a campaign by UN Women for gender equality called HeForShe was founded. Spokeswoman Emma Watson, famous for portraying Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise, and other members of the movement have inspired almost 290,000 men and women around the world to pledge that they will work for equal pay for all.
Although Barack Obama defeated her in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, Hillary Clinton announced on April 12, 2015 that she would run again. Clinton has served as First Lady of the U.S., New York State Senator and Attorney General. For the 2016 presidential campaign, she says, “Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that champion”.
There is no doubt that all of these women achieved what they have without being natural champions. However, every other woman is a champion, too. Eight Loyola University Chicago students explain what makes them champions that can accomplish truly wonderful things.
Special thanks to Ellie Kirkpatrick, Gianna Marshall, Emily Ivers, Chantal Gersch, Colleen Laughlin, Sana Rizvi, Sarah Paulus and Mercedes Jasso.
