Kirstin Nygaard Age: 20 Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida Year: Senior Major: Sociology

The center fosters growth.

Senior Kirstin Nygaard can attest to that.

Nygaard has been involved with center programs since her freshman year as a resident in the Social Justice Living Learning Community.

“There,” she said, “is where I got involved with Hall Council as an Eco-Rep and other sustainability projects on campus.”

She is heavily involved in Take Back the Tap and Garnet & Gold Goes Green.

With her role in WithWords as an administrative student coordinator, Nygaard helped plan this week's exhibit and works a lot with logistics.

“I work with and advise the issue chairs for each room of the exhibit of how to execute the room, planning on how they will convey the information, what supplies they need, and assisting with time management pieces,” she said.

Currently, Nygaard is a student assistant with the campus-based programming team that works with the Social Justice Living Learning Community, Leadership through Intergroup Dialogue and MLK Scholars and Dinner Dialogue.

Nygaard said her time as a student assistant has impacted her the most out of all her activities, helping her be more professional, patient, and intentional in all that she does.

“It taught me a lot about being able to adapt to changes and being flexible while programming,” Nygaard said. “I learned about different leadership styles and dynamics while working with my wonderful team. I was introduced to assessment and evaluation skills that I hope to develop in future positions and in graduate school.”

A sociology major graduating this semester, Nygaard plans to take a gap year to serve with AmeriCorps VISTA before she pursues a master’s degree in Higher Education Student Affairs.

“The center staff and my peers have provided me with a support system that has encouraged introspection of my values and goals,” she said.

– Fabuola Pierre