If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting junior Becca Van Spall, you are missing out. Her positive attitude and optimistic outlook on life is refreshing in today’s intense climate. She has been heavily involved in activism since before she even stepped foot on this campus. Recently she has been involved in advocacy for victims of sexual assault through the White Ribbon Campaign, guiding and advising student leaders as part of her role as teaching assistant for Karen Raye’s Sexual Violence Advocacy class.
“To me, activism is empowering people who don’t have the tools to empower themselves and being a part of something bigger than myself,” said Van Spall. “It’s important that I’m utilizing my privilege in positive ways.”
Van Spall has taken her activism to the stage, participating in Lasell College’s production of the Vagina Monologues, performing My Short Skirt this past year and as narrator in the 2017 production.
“I love it. I think it really gave me a voice that I didn’t know I was allowed to have, in terms of speaking about myself as a woman and acknowledging that there are many different types of women and they’re not all born with vaginas,” said Van Spall. “It made me more comfortable with my sexuality.”
Outside of activism, Van Spall has a passion for service work, partaking in an international service trip to Ecuador this past summer as well as three Alternative Spring Breaks. Van Spall was student leader of this past trip to Memphis, Tenn., where she co-led a group of 11 students in food sustainability.
“We worked a lot of soup kitchens and community gardens for food deserts,” said Van Spall. “Leading an ASB trip is so phenomenal because you get to watch people build lifelong relationships all while nurturing a love for service work.”
The natural leader has held many leadership positions here at Lasell, from Orientation Leader to being named captain of the Women’s Rugby team. Van Spall’s influence and integrity has touched all aspects of this campus, not only making a difference through leadership and activism but also through the kindness she extends to everyone she meets.
While her list of accomplishments is longer than most, this is not the end of the road for Van Spall. She intends to finish her Psychology major and Criminal Justice minor next spring and continue to work every day to push all Lasell students to be the best they can be.