Halie LeSavage and Elizabeth Melampy are the new Co-Presidents and Editors-in-Chief of Harvard’s Her Campus Chapter! Halie is a mere fresh-person and Elizabeth is a sophisticated sophomore, but both share a passion for writing and excitement to be at the helm of Her Campus Harvard this year. Read on to learn more about these lovely ladies!
1. Tell us a little about yourself — where are you from, what do you study, and what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Elizabeth Melampy: I am from Dunstable, Massachusetts, which is a tiny town with more cows than people about an hour north of Boston. I live in Kirkland house on campus, and I study comparative religion (the BEST concentration). I love to watch TV in my free time (I’m a little bit of an addict!). I also love to run and hang out with friends!
Halie LeSavage: I’m a freshman in Wigglesworth House, and I plan on concentrating in English with a secondary in Spanish (but with three years left here, that could change). I’m not exactly from anywhere; my dad served as a Colonel in the United States Marine Corps while I was growing up, so I moved eight times before showing up at Harvard. It was a challenging childhood, but it may or may not have made choosing a topic for my college application essays a little easier. I love reading and writing, hence my presence at Her Campus! I also enjoy spending time with my friends: baking, watching TV, window-shopping because we can’t afford to actually shop, etc.
2. What are some of the extracurricular activities are you involved with on campus?
EM: I am publicity director for the Harvard-Radcliffe Modern Dance Company. I also choreograph and dance for them. I am vice president of marketing for Alpha Phi, and I love that group of girls so much! I work at the Semitic Museum on campus, interning for an archaeologist. I am also training for the Boston Marathon, which I’m running for charity for the second time.
HL: Currently, I’m a member of the Crimson Dance Team. We compete in Division 1 Jazz at UDA Nationals every January, and perform at varsity sporting events on campus throughout the year. I also run my own blog, The Daily Halie, where I write about my day-to-day life as a Harvard student. Is it jinxing my chances of getting a bid to say that I’d like to join a sorority this semester as well? I hope not…
3. What are your plans for summer?
EM: It’s a little unclear, but I think I’m going to work on an archaeological dig in Spain for about a month, and then get my scuba diving certification and do volunteer marine conservation in Madagascar for a month. That’s the loose (and also incredibly exciting) plan for now!
HL: Unclear: I’m between studying abroad in Spain or interning at a newspaper! Both options fit in pretty well with my career plans, and would allow me to try totally new things. Hopefully one of the two will work out; if not, you’ll probably find me on the couch at my parents’ house in Florida, playing with their new puppy and avoiding all responsibility.
4. What would be your dream job after graduation?
EM: I have no idea. Getting paid to travel would be ideal. I would also love to keep working on archaeological digs, because I really enjoy getting covered in dirt and finding things that have been buried for thousands of years (not necessarily in that order…). I don’t really study anything conventional, so the whole career thing is very up in the air!
HL: I would love to write for a syndicated news source or magazine—but I’m not too sure that can actually happen. Any kind of job in media or publishing would be fabulous, so long as I can continue to write and explore my interests.
5. What excites you most about joining the Her Campus team?
EM: I have written for Her Campus, and I love being a part of the creative process – I’m so excited to have a role in continuing and furthering its success on our campus! I think it’s a really unique journalistic opportunity, unlike anything else available on campus, and I’m so thrilled to be a part of it!
HL: This is my first semester with Her Campus Harvard, and I’m excited to see how our chapter grows over the time that I’m here. I love how Her Campus balances informative articles on college life with fun, opinionated pieces, and gives women on campus a place to celebrate what it means to be a collegiette! It’s slightly intimidating to know that more people than just my mom are going to be reading my work, but I’m also thrilled to have Her Campus as a platform to keep growing as a writer. I also love how Her Campus has already introduced me to so many interesting girls at Harvard; every member of our staff brings something different (and awesome) to the table, and it’s going to be a blast working with them!