Lauren Prosper, a sophomore anthropology major from Albany, NY, is an avid social activist and does community service to raise awareness about many issues including education, domestic violence, and sexual assault. She started a Sexual Assault Awareness Month at her high school, gives inspirational speeches at many events, and works with various organizations such as Give and Go Athletics.
Lauren said that her greatest accomplishment was switching high schools in the middle of the 11th grade. She had an opportunity to separate herself from toxic and suffocating relationships, and she took that and ran with it. At her new school, Lauren was able to discuss what she so ardently longed to talk about: the impending issue of sexual assault and domestic violence. As a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence herself, she started a Sexual Assault Awareness Month at her school. This allowed her to listen to people’s stories, assure them that she knew what they were going through, and give them the resources they need to get help.
Lauren’s work against sexual assault and domestic violence didn’t stop there. She strongly advocates against the misuse of words like “rape,” and follows the mantra “if you see something, say something” to help people out of situations that may be uncomfortable. Lauren speaks at events such as Take Back the Night and the Miss Black America Pageant to explain the dangers of abusive relationships and the importance of consent.
To Lauren, the most important step in impacting your community is believing in your cause whole heartedly. Her service to the world around her is not restricted to helping those of a certain demographic. As a participant in the Students Tackling Advanced Research (STAR) program, Lauren has worked closely with Give and Go Athletics. Give and Go is a sports initiative group in North-Eastern Philadelphia that helps keep children in the classroom and off the streets. The camp enforces the idea that you can’t play sports if your grades aren’t good in school. Lauren observed the program and created a database for them consisting of the scholarship funds, organizations, and students associated with Give and Go, to allow the camp to further their impact on the community by networking, staying organized, and seeing what’s worked in the past.
If there is one thing that Lauren does not advocate for, it’s limiting yourself. Lauren realizes that people need to find themselves through experimentation and experience. “Know what’s bad in the world and be careful,” Lauren said, “Try things, be open, but know yourself and your boundaries.” She supports having a diverse friend group from different religious, political, and sexual backgrounds. Opening your mind to other cultures and practices is extremely beneficial. Lauren believes that you can overcome anything if you have a strong support system.
“If you’re honest with yourself and the world around you, anything is possible,” Lauren said. She knows who she is, but she believes there’s always more to learn about yourself. “I’m at a fork in the road. I choose which way to go, and I come back around if I want to,” Lauren said.
When she began looking for schools, Lauren wanted to find a place that would allow her to flourish and succeed in helping others. She was accepted to 16 colleges and universities that she applied to, but Drexel’s incredible networking and co-op opportunities won her over and she began her academic career here in the fall of 2014. Â
At 19 years old, Lauren has a multitude of accomplishments under her belt. She has already been offered positions for her upcoming spring/summer co-op, including an offer to do research with the College of Arts and Sciences for Anthropology. Keep doing great things!