She’s the First (STF) at the University of Minnesota was established in 2014, and since then they have been fighting hard for gender equality in education. From mass producing grilled cheese sandwiches for our campus community, to hosting meaningful discussions about the state of education in today’s society, STF does it all. Fueled by their group anthem, “Run the World (Girls)” by Beyonce, this group is one to watch. I contacted co-presidents Amanda and Hannah, and they provided me with a little more information on STF and what they do:
Q: What is your best memory while being a part of this group?
A: We were named the “Campus Chapter of the Year” by STF Headquarters last year, along with being the top fundraising chapter in the nation!
Q: What are your group’s goals?
A: Our main focus is to raise money to sponsor girls’ education in low income countries, but we also aim to raise awareness of global issues, volunteer our time in the Minneapolis community, and create opportunities for our amazing members to establish themselves as leaders. We encourage our members to bring their unique perspectives to the table, use their voices and offer up their own ideas to make STF better in any way, shape or form.
Q: What upcoming activities or events will your group be hosting or a part of?
A: April is a huge month for STF this year. We will hold our semi-annual grilled cheese delivery fundraiser, “Cheese the First”, on April 12th, followed by Fund Aurora Week on the 15th, and our “Sweat for STF 5K” on the 28th. Registration is open now if anyone would like to join us for the best 5K on campus!
Q: How does this group contribute to the community on campus?
A: We make monthly volunteer events a priority and work to inform our campus on global issues facing women. We also regularly work and collaborate with other student groups to spread the word about their events and causes.
Q: How does one get involved with your organization?
A: Shoot us an email at stf@umn.edu to receive our emails, attend our meetings and support our events. You can also like our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram to get updates on what we’re up to. We meet in Fraser Hall 102 at 5:30 p.m. every other Wednesday.
Education creates an unmatched ripple effect for young women in low-income countries who normally wouldn’t get the opportunity to pursue their schooling. With the opportunities that education brings, global issues like poverty, domestic violence and human trafficking are greatly reduced. STF works to provide scholarships to empower these girls through their education, all while creating global citizens of our campus community.
We raise money to support 19 scholars through fundraisers that are fun for our stakeholders and our members. Whether we’re pedaling our tie-dye cupcakes for the Bake a Change fundraiser, flipping delectable grilled cheese sandwiches for Cheese the First, or cheering for runners and walkers at our Sweat for STF 5K, we work hard to fight for universal education and equality across the globe.
Our fundraisers are only the beginning. Our members also have a blast connecting with each other at member bonding events, volunteering through community service opportunities, and engaging in global awareness discussions during our meetings. We take pride in the opportunities STF offers to create a positive impact–on a local and global scale–and have loads of fun doing it!
A special thank you to Amanda Gerold and Hannah Bremer, co-presidents of STF, who talked with me all about this amazing student group. Check out their Facebook page to learn more.