“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, ‘I’m possible.’”—Audrey Hepburn
Nicole Werwie certainly knows what it means to work against the odds: she just won the election for Vice President of Finance as a first year. “I knew I was the underdog,” she shares, later adding, “I campaigned really hard, so it was very gratifying to see my hard work pay off. I am stoked for next year!”
The excitement is no surprise, especially after Werwie’s fast inauguration into the thrilling work of the Chatham Student Government. In only her first two semesters of college, Werwie held a class representative position before serving as the 2015 secretary/treasurer and the parliamentarian. The opportunities introduced her to a new interest: finance. “I served on the Undergraduate Budget Committee this year as the secretary,” she says, “so I saw first-hand how the allocation process to student organizations works. It is amazing how much power the committee members and student population actually hold.” The experience gave her the push she needed to run for a 2012/2013 spot on the Executive Board. “When I found out Angela (the former VP of Finance) was graduating, I decided to run for the position,” she says. “I am good at budgeting, math, and being organized, plus I had great ideas for improving the budget committee. So, I went out on a limb and ran!”
Now that she’s elected, what will Werwie be up to next year? “I am hoping to increase the transparency of UBC [Undergraduate Budgeting Committee],” she says. “I want to be more approachable as the VP of Finance, so the organizations can come talk to me about how to make their event successful financially as well as what went well/not so well. I also hope to make a step-by-step sheet for student organizations, so they know exactly how to receive the most funding.”
While she’s balancing the budget, she’ll juggle more than a handful of other commitments. A proud Chatham Scholar, Werwie is on the Scholar’s Advisory Board. Additionally, she’s on track to start a new club focused on natural living. “I also like to attend every event possible, especially if there is dancing and free food involved!”
Another big focus in Werwie’s life is science; she is an active member of the Pre-Physician’s Assistant Club and the Buhl Society. “I have always been interested in human anatomy and medicine, since my mom works in the medical field,” says the Human Biology major. “I think the human body is fascinating, so I decided to study it in hopes of someday going to medical school and becoming a medical doctor. I like to help people too, so I combined those two interests.” Werwie is flexible on what she’ll do after she graduates, but she’s thinking about going into pediatrics or orthopedic surgery. “I am also interested in public health and political advocacy. Something that combines all of those would be fantastic!” she says. “On another note, I want to start my own charity and open a cupcake bakery.”
Luckily, Werwie is confident that Chatham can help her do everything she hopes to do. “I love that Chatham is a women’s college,” she says. “It is extremely empowering to be around all these driven, passionate, and intellectual women!”
Who does Werwie look up to outside of the Cougar community? Audrey Hepburn. “She is a great role model in my life, along with Jacqueline Kennedy,” she says. Of course, with her motivation, passion and driving desire to help others, it’s likely that Werwie will grow up to be just as influential.
Kennedy/Hepburn/Werwie Mash-up photo edited by Mara Flanagan.
Kennedy Photo Credit: Orlando Sentinel
Hepburn Photo Credit: Amazon