Caelainn Carney

Caelainn Carney on Female Entrepreneurs @ The University of Virginia

This semester, I bumped into one of the most influential people in my college life that truly showed me the power of passion and persistency. Caelainn Carney is a 21-year-old 4th year at the University of Virginia, majoring in Economics and English. Aside from having (almost) successfully completed her college career, in the past couple of years she was able to venture into an abyss most students don’t get a chance to experience: the creation of a student organization. From creating the constitution to recruiting members, Caelainn has given her everything to make Peers Listening to Society (PALS) a successful project. The club´s basic philosophy is to facilitate students´ inclusion to the college social life, through events and activities that encourage interaction and friendship in a stress-free environment.

Last night, I had a chance to ask her a couple of questions that had been revolving through my head ever since I met her:

To start with, what clubs, aside from PALS, are you involved in at UVa?

I have been involved in Club Running since my first semester of college.  The members of my team are my family away from home. I am also a member of Chi Alpha and I started working for Madison House this semester. Through them, I volunteer with the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA and the Legal Aid Justice Center. I just joined the Ballroom Club for my last semester of college and I am really enjoying it.

Nice! So in between all these involvements, how did you come up with the idea of PALS?

PALS was a collaborative effort on the part of me and a friend. In the fall of 2014 we were frustrated with the lack of interaction among upper and underclassmen, as well as with the difficulty in meeting people at UVA unless there was a well-defined club for your specific interest.  We kept alluding to the fact that there really should be a club that helps people meet in a safe, fun environment. Then we realized, we didn’t have to wait: we could and should start one. We started a new CIO application right away.

It seems like PALS has a significant value in your life; so, overall, what does PALS mean to you?

PALS is a place where everyone is welcome to step out of the craziness and pressure that is being a college student. It’s a chance for people to get together and have some fun without feeling compelled to party or even force themselves into a group where they do not feel comfortable.

From what you’ve told me, friendship and social relations are a big part of the philosophy of PALS. To you, what does the “friendship stigma” mean?

Humans are social creatures.  No one wants to feel like they are the only one having trouble making meaningful friendships, especially when social media inundates us with images of peers having fun.  The thing is, those images are not exactly honest–people only post the moments they want to present to the world.  The “friendship stigma” is the fear of stepping outside of those images and admitting that it is not always easy to meet people with whom you connect and can have a good time.

Overall, what was the hardest part of getting your organization up and running?

Recruiting members and retaining leaders who are willing to persevere to see PALS succeed.  It is easy to go into a prestigious, well-known organization and commit to working on it; the foundation has already been laid.  As a new organization, PALS needs nurturing from people who really believe in its mission.  It is hard to grow membership, but I believe that PALS will succeed because there is a real need for it in the UVA community.

What is your opinion of the “female entrepreneur” and how do you think it reflects the empowerment of women?

I think it is great for women to pursue their goals and work for causes that really resonate with them. To be an entrepreneur means charting a new course that has not already been mapped. It requires more than a little bit of planning, and quite a lot of guts.  In my endeavors, I have always just thought of myself as “Caelainn the person” first and “Caelainn the woman” second.  I want every girl to be able to go after her goals without being self-conscious of her sex.

What advice would you give other students trying to create their own organizations?

One step at a time. Your failures teach you a lot more than your successes.  Do not make any organization you start about your own ego, because it makes it harder to handle all of the blips that come with trying to start something new.  If you always remember why you decided to start your organization, those reasons will carry you through the trying times.

What are your plans after you graduate from UVa this fall?

In the fall, I’ll be starting Law School at Columbia. I plan to spend this summer working in Cape May, New Jersey before I hit the books again. I’m excited for this next chapter, but I will always look back fondly at my time at UVA.

There you go Hoos! A complete perspective of the adventures of a young female entrepreneur! After talking to Caelainn, I took one big thing away from this conversation: gender and age don’t matter if you are passionate about something. Caelainn was able to succeed only by loving what she was doing and truly believing in the power of her organization. It is ok to ask for help with the social aspects of your life & is is definitely ok to have enjoy your time in college. You can do it hoos! Wahoowa!