Aerodynamics. The study of the properties of moving air and the interaction between the air and solid bodies moving through it. This study is based on fluid mechanics, which is the study of the behavior of fluids and the forces acting on them. Applications of aerodynamics are used frequently in our everyday life. For example airplanes, cars, and even construction are based or heavily influenced by aerodynamics. Since this subject is one that is very present in our everyday life, there has to be scientists who study the workings of aerodynamics. I interviewed Dr. Amy Lang Professor at the University of Alabama’s Aerospace engineering department. 

Her Journey

Dr. Langs journey to aerospace engineering began when her calculus teacher recommended engineering to her, which led to her majoring in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. Then later when she was in a thermodynamics class, her professor mentioned an undergraduate research opportunity that he thought would be the perfect fit for her. The lab was a fluid mechanics based lab, and through that she discovered studying fluid mechanics was the perfect fit for her.  That same professor encouraged her to apply to graduate school at CalTech, which she did and later attended. Dr. Lang later received a NSF(national science foundation) graduate research fellowship and got her PhD in aeronautics.

Dr. Lang states that the biggest impact on her career development has been her faith. She states “I feel God gives each of us talents that we are meant to use, and a purpose to glorify God with those talents.  Sometimes it takes humility too.  Even Jesus said, “I can of mine own self do nothing.”  I often think of that and know that it is God that supplies the intelligence and ideas I need.”

Research

As previously mentioned, Dr. Land received a NSF graduate research fellowship. She has continued to be a part of NSF as a project director, specifically coordinator, for a NSF Research Experience for undergraduate sites in fluid mechanics. The program is a 10 week long summer internship for students to do summer research before they commit to graduate students. The students get to work in a lab, and they meet weekly with the interns to help them improve their communication skills to better present their research. Then all of the students attend the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics in November to present their research. Dr. Lang states that she wants to “inspire capable students in engineering, especially women, to pursue a PhD in fluid mechanics” like she did.

Research: Take 2

Dr. Lang also conducts research related to bio-inspired flow control. She has conducted research related to studying shark skin and butterfly scales. Through her years of conducting research she discovered that her expertise is in fluid mechanics and not manufacturing the surfaces. She hopes that someday other researchers can develop the technology so that it can be used on aircraft to reduce drag and increase maneuverability.

A Slice of Life

Like many other fields in STEM, aerospace engineering is male dominated. Dr. Lang agreed to this statement and said that she never let that bother her. She mentioned that she would make friends with the other women in her class, but also with the men. She thinks that the biggest obstacles happened once she became a professor: Learning how to balance work, marriage, and having a family. But her husband was very supportive towards her career, which she states was a huge help.

Closing Advice

For anyone aspiring to pursue a career in engineering, Dr. Lang  suggests that you should just go for it. It is a rewarding career that is deeply engaging and has the potential to benefit society. She advises that you do well in your math and science classes and consider going to a good state school. She says that college will help you find a particular area of engineering  and help develop your skills and talents.

Additionally, Dr. Lang states that if you plan to get a PhD take it seriously. In engineering, getting a PhD can get you jobs working as a consultant or at a national lab, not only just teaching academia. She closes out by stating “Getting a PhD keeps you working in the field at the cutting edge of innovation. With us going back to the moon in 2026, there are so many wonderful career opportunities especially in aerospace engineering.”

The post Women in STEM: The Wonderful World of Aerospace Engineering appeared first on GirlSpring.

Thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, and subatomic particles are just a blip of the topics within the study of physical chemistry. Physical chemistry, the study of physical and chemical properties of matter, is an intersection of chemistry, physics, engineering, and math. Making this a broad, yet very detail-oriented subject. I interviewed Dr. Alice DeSimone, an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama, to gain a perspective of a woman in this complex field.

Background

Dr. DeSimone excelled in both chemistry and physics in high school. She shared an anecdote of when she was in 10th grade and missed a week of her AP chemistry classes. She had to learn all the material on her own and still earned the highest grade in the class when the next test came around. Dr. DeSimone noted that the class was challenging, yet she memorized and manipulated the equations well and got by on her math skills. She attended Harvard University and majored in chemistry and physics as a single major. Dr. DeSimone found herself gravitating toward classes that offered definite answers rather than interpretive, defendable ones.

College Choice: Harvard

Dr. DeSimone earned her Bachelor’s degree in chemistry and physics at Harvard University, known for its prestige and low acceptance rate of around 3.5%. When asked what Dr. DeSimone thought was the driving factor in her admission to Harvard, she lauded her extracurriculars and determination. Dr. DeSimone attended a private school in Georgia; she was the girls’ valedictorian for her class (her school had separate girls’ and boys’ valedictorians), took the maximum number of AP classes available at her school, and participated in 3 varsity sports —cross-country, swimming, and track — as well as other extracurriculars. She comments that she was more well-rounded than specialized, which may have looked good to admissions officers. One of her essays was an extended metaphor about her quitting swimming at 15, with ‘following the black line on the bottom of the pool representing the straightforward, focused path of continuing to swim every day’.

Physical Chemistry’s Impact

Additionally, Dr. DeSimone has published multiple research papers. These new discoveries in physical chemistry could lead to clean, sustainable energy production, the development of materials that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and many other technological advancements. Physical chemists often study atmospheric reactions and surface chemistry. Additionally, many technological advancements start in a physical chemistry lab, for example, transistors, which are now found in every piece of modern technology.

Women in Physical Chemistry

Like many STEM careers, her field is male-dominated. There are only three women who primarily teach, and only four women out of the whole chemistry tenure-track research faculty. Dr. DeSimone comments that she had to move many times for her husband’s career, and after she had a baby, she couldn’t find any postdoctoral positions in the area. When she moved to Tuscaloosa, she was lucky to get a position at UA with her husband. Dr. DeSimone states that ‘she is happy where she ended up, but my priority was to keep my family together during the critical time after graduate school, when career building is usually the focus for men, and moving is typical in academia.’

A Closing Word

If you have an interest in physical chemistry, or any subject, Dr. DeSimone says, ‘If you love it, go for it! Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t understand what your teacher or professor is saying, get clarification. Other students are always wondering the same thing, but they may lack the confidence to ask. Follow your curiosity!’

The post Women In STEM: Chemistry, Physics, and Math! Oh My! appeared first on GirlSpring.

Neurosurgery is one of the most difficult and demanding careers in the world. The act of cutting into and repairing someone’s brain takes years of dedication and hard work. There are only around 49,000 neurosurgeons worldwide, representing just 0.00000595% of the population, of whom only 8%-11% are female. I interviewed Dr. Elizabeth Liptrap, MD, a neurosurgeon at UAB, to gain a perspective on women in the male-dominated field of neurosurgery.

Discovering Her Love for Medicine

Dr. Liptrap’s father influenced her love for medicine and her decision to pursue neurosurgery. A refugee in the Vietnam War, he dreamt of becoming a physician but could not afford it when he came to the U.S.  Growing up, her father encouraged her to consider a path in medicine; she felt the calling and decided to answer. While going through medical school, it was difficult for her to choose a specialty, as she loved every aspect. It was during her neurosurgery residency that she discovered her love for neurosurgery, especially aneurysm and skull base surgery. Though there was a moment when she pursued a career as an ENT (ears, nose, and throat) medical professional, she ultimately switched back to neurosurgery in her 4th year of medical school.

Pathways for Success

“Neurosurgery is a notoriously difficult field requiring significant medical management and surgical technical skills.” Being able to keep going is a struggle, and persevering is a skill. Dr. Liptrap always approached her endeavors, whether it was medical school, residency, or other challenges, with the expectation that they would be difficult. She comments that it was usually not as bad as she expected. She says that whenever she starts feeling sorry for herself, she remembers all the sacrifices her dad made for her and all the people who would pay to be in her position. Lastly, she likes to remember that “all things are finite, nothing lasts forever, and all bad times will eventually end.”

Dr. Liptrap made many significant achievements during her medical schooling and career, including being awarded membership in the Gold Humanism Honor Society and the Faculty Gold Medal for Outstanding Qualifications for the Practice of Medicine. Dr. Liptrap credits some of her success to her stubbornness, noting that she was not the most intelligent person, but she worked hard and stayed on task despite the hardships. She also says self-help books helped her identify principles to live by. Some of her favorite books are: Principles by Ray Dalio, The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday, Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, Good to Great by James Collins, and Grit by Angela Duckworth. I really recommend reading some of these if you have the time.

The Difficulties of Being a Female Neurosurgeon

As mentioned, neuroscience is a challenging field, and the number of female neurosurgeons is relatively low. Dr Liptrap says she was the only female during her residency program and the third female to graduate from it. Additionally, there were no female faculty members either. Dr. Liptrap found it fascinating to meet other female neurosurgeons. She felt that she needed to work twice as hard as her male peers to get the same credit.

After she became a senior resident, she faced challenges in leading male residents who were not used to having women as superiors or in the field at all. She mentions that there were many cases of sexual harassment that her male colleagues did not have to deal with during residency. Dr. Liptrap remarks that there is a significant number of female faculty at UAB, who are all very supportive of each other. Dr. Liptrap believes that female residents can be successful anywhere, but it is beneficial to go to a place with fellow female faculty and mentors. 

A Little Bit of Advice

Dr. Liptrap suggests you consider what you want your life to be like if you are interested in neurosurgery. Consider whether you want to have children and be able to spend time attending all of their activities and events. Neurosurgery is a tough specialty, and it can put a strain on your social and family life. You can still have children, get married, and build a family; you will just face a few more challenges along the way. Additionally, she suggests thinking about your ability to handle stress. You have to manage multiple patients at once, and since medicine isn’t linear, things may not go as expected. Neurosurgery is unpredictable. You may have plans outside of work, but if a patient has an emergency, plans will change. Dr. Liptrap recommends shadowing multiple neurosurgeons to get a feel of the field, as there are variations in practices at different institutes.

Dr. Liptrap is happy to talk to anyone interested, so feel free to reach out to her.

The post Women in STEM: A Deep Dive into the Brain of a Neurosurgeon appeared first on GirlSpring.

At just 23, Sophia Kianni is already reshaping the way we shop and think about fashion. As the co-founder of Phia, a browser extension that uses AI to help shoppers find more affordable and sustainable alternatives, Kianni is blending tech, purpose, and personal passion into something powerful. In this exclusive interview with GirlSpring, Sophia opens up about her
journey from Stanford student to tech founder, the challenges of launching a startup, and the importance of momentum, mentorship, and mission-driven innovation. Her story is a reminder that you don’t have to have it all figured out to make a difference, you just have to be bold enough to start.

July 30, 2025 @ 11:00 AM

Natalyn Baker: What exactly is Phia?

Sophia Kianni: Phia is essentially the Google Flights for fashion. It’s a mobile browser extension that acts as a shopping companion. When you’re browsing online, Phia helps you find the exact item—or similar ones—across more than 40,000 sites, often at lower prices. So with just one click, you can compare alternatives and find the best deals.

Baker: I love it. I already have the extension downloaded and it’s been surprisingly helpful even for household items! My friend wanted a Smeg toaster, and I found it for a better price through Phia.

Kianni: That’s amazing! My mom actually used Phia to buy a toaster too, it’s always fun seeing how people use it beyond just fashion.

Baker: It really is so handy! What inspired you and Phoebe Gates to start Phia?

Kianni: Phoebe and I were college roommates at Stanford, and we bonded over our love for secondhand shopping. We took a generative AI class together and discovered that out of 30 students, only two had ever shopped secondhand. Most didn’t know where to shop or didn’t want to spend time navigating multiple sites. That sparked the idea: we wanted to build a tool that
made secondhand shopping just as convenient as retail. Phia helps users find secondhand alternatives instantly—supporting sustainability while also saving people time and money.

Baker: When you imagine the future of Phia, what excites you the most? Are there any risks you’re taking that you’re particularly proud of?

Kianni: I’m really excited about turning Phia into a personalized AI shopping assistant. Right now, we focus on universal needs, saving time and money, but we want Phia to eventually learn each user’s unique preferences. Whether it’s fast shipping, a strong return policy, or ethical brands, we want the experience to feel totally custom. We’ve also introduced features like “Save to Favorites” and a beta for price-drop alerts. So users can set a custom alert, like, notify me when this item is 30% off, and we’ll track and notify them.

Baker: Fashion is always evolving. How does Phia stay true to its values of sustainability and affordability while competing with fast fashion?

Kianni: Fast fashion is popular because it’s cheap and convenient. So our goal is to make sustainable shopping just as easy—if not easier. With Phia, you can find secondhand alternatives in one click, without extra effort. We also try to show users that secondhand doesn’t mean lower quality. In fact, it’s often better. You can afford brands that might’ve seemed out of reach, and
their clothes last longer. It’s about shifting mindsets—from fast and disposable to thoughtful and long-term.

Baker: You made a bold choice to leave school to launch Phia, but still completed your degree. Congratulations on graduating! If your journey were a story, what would its title be?

Kianni: Thank you! I’d probably title it Momentum. Early on, it felt like I was pushing a rock uphill—starting my nonprofit, working with the UN, balancing school. But once things started clicking, it felt like that rock gained momentum and started rolling on its own. That momentum has carried me through launching Phia, and it’s been amazing to watch it grow.

Baker: That’s such a powerful metaphor. Do you think having it all figured out is a myth? What advice would you give to girls who feel like they’re falling behind?

Kianni: Absolutely, it’s a myth. No one has it all figured out. Even the most successful people I know have doubts and uncertainty. The key is to enjoy the process, not just focus on outcomes. You’ll always be figuring things out—so make sure the day-to-day feels meaningful.

Baker: What mindset has helped you navigate doubt, pressure, or rejection?

Kianni: For me, it’s viewing feedback, especially the tough kind, as a gift. We host product dinners every two weeks and invite women to share honest feedback. Some of it is hard to hear, but it’s incredibly helpful. It’s how we improve. If someone takes the time to tell us what’s not working, it means they care. That mindset keeps me going.

Baker: That’s such a healthy way to approach criticism. My last question is for the teen girl out there with a big idea but fear is holding her back, what would you say to her?

Kianni: Take the leap. You’ll never regret swinging and missing, but you might regret never trying. Especially when you’re young, you have nothing to lose. Even failure teaches you something. I’ve had things blow up in my face, but each one made me stronger. If everything burned down tomorrow, I’d still have what I’ve learned, and I could start again, smarter. Just
start. Learn. Try. Repeat.

Baker: That’s so motivating. Are there any final thoughts you’d like to share?

Kianni: I’d say: build strong friendships and find great mentors. Your relationships are everything. And in startups, your team is your company, so surrounding yourself with passionate, thoughtful people will set you up for success.

Baker: Thank you so much for this. This has been such a valuable and inspiring conversation. I really appreciate your time, and I know our readers will too!

Kianni: Thank you, Natalyn. I really enjoyed this, it was such a pleasure. Best of luck with everything!

__________________________________________

Learn more about Phia and download the app today!

The post Momentum in Motion: How Sophia Kianni Is Redefining Fashion and Fearlessness appeared first on GirlSpring.

A couple of weekends ago, I sat down and talked with my mom specifically about her job. A while back, I started a Women in Business Interview Series, and this year, I decided to kickstart it with one of the best in the game I know! No bias here! 

Who is Kari Wilbanks?

My mom, Kari Wilbanks, runs her own interior design firm and has for seventeen years. She is a designer that focuses mainly on new construction for homes. She earned her degree at the University of Alabama, but it was not the route she thought she was going when starting her college education. This has been very reassuring in my own college search to know that things do change, and it is okay to find your passions later on! Ultimately, she landed on interior design because it was the best combination of some of the things she loved: being creative, working with others, and process thinking. As a kid, finding new designs, whether it was just around her room or rearranging her mother’s things, was never uncommon for Wilbanks, and she credits this time to being steps that lead her to interior design for a living. 

Starting Kari Wilbanks Interior Design!

For the first seven years as an interior designer after internships here in Birmingham, Wilbanks was faced with a new challenge because of her husband’s relocation to Tampa. Fortunately, she was encouraged by those around her to take a leap of faith. Kari Wilbanks Interior Design was officially open for business!

While she enjoys being her own boss, Wilbanks recognizes that it is not the strategy for everyone. She loves the flexibility that managing yourself provides, especially when my sister and I were younger, it was very helpful to accommodate our schedules. When opening your own business, Wilbanks says it is very important to be a self-motivator. Being able to hold yourself accountable and encouraged to work is the key to success.

At the beginning of a new business, the motivation is necessary because of additional work such as accounting that may not be able to be hired so soon. To those looking into entrepreneurship, Wilbanks notes to “not listen” to the fears that people may project onto you. She says to stay confident in your work, believe you can always get it done, and know that you can do a good job. Your work is solely yours so believing in your abilities is the first step towards being a successful entrepreneur.

Wilbanks’ Advice on Entrepreneurship!

Although confidence in yourself is necessary, Wilbanks advises to never discount the lessons that others can teach you. She suggests finding a role model in your field that inspires you to be just as successful and provide a “footprint” for your work. Interning for interior design really puts into perspective the detail that the job revolves around. She says real-world experience shows the true nitty-gritty of the design field, especially if you are interested in the job’s route that deals with everyone else like builders, contractors, etc (what my mom does). 

Yes, Wilbanks agrees, interior design is fun, but she wants to make clear there is so much more to it than that. Wilbanks uses the analytical side directly with her creative mind in her work. Something many people do not realize is the large amounts of math involved in interior designing. There are many numbers to account for that will ultimately determine the beauty of your work and satisfaction of clients. 

Why Wilbanks’ Is An Inspiration!

By satisfying clients, Wilbanks finds a sense of empowerment. She is able to listen and deliver her clients wishes while knowing they trust her to perfectly execute something they want to spend the rest of their lives in. To Wilbanks, interior design is a collaboration. She strives to find the best fit for her clients while implementing her own expertise to make a home they truly love. In order to stand out in her field, Wilbanks knows authenticity is of utmost importance. She does not believe this is limited to just interior design; authenticity allows a connection to those you are working with and the best end result for all. 

I have felt so lucky to grow up with a mom who truly exemplifies these traits. She has taught my sister and I the same qualities that she applies to her job: staying confident in yourself and learning from others. Although I do not wish to follow in her footsteps, I truly admire my mom’s dedication to her job that has not faltered throughout my life. Remember that your passion may not be apparent at first, but it will come in time and self motivation will follow! IF you have any more questions, feel free to reach out to me, and I (or my mom) can answer! 

Check out Sherrod’s first Women in Business Series article on Cookie Fix’s, Amy Jason — here!

The post Women in Business Series: Kari Wilbanks of Kari Wilbanks Interior Design appeared first on GirlSpring.

Interviewee: Vanzetta Penn McPherson, U.S. Magistrate Judge (Ret.)
Interviewer: Morgan Durant



People often say that many fashion trends come and go. This is not entirely true, it is better said this way, “Fashion trends come and go, but they always come back.” Fashion is best categorized as a never ending cycle of what’s in and what’s out. It is amazing to see certain styles of clothing be in for one decade and out the next. I like to say that fashion changes like the seasons; however, it’s less predictable. I interviewed Judge Vanzetta Penn McPherson, my grandmother, on what fashion trends were like when she was growing up in the 1950s and 60s. It is intriguing to compare the fashion trends of her teenage/girlhood to the current fashion trends of teenagers today. The most confounding questions in and around the fashion world today are: “How has fashion changed?” and “What trends are coming back and why?”.

The first word Judge McPherson used to describe fashion was “cyclical” (Vanzetta Penn McPherson, U.S. Magistrate Judge (Ret.))., which is a word used to describe its movement. It means, “moving in cycles” (“Cyclic”). That is exactly what fashion trends have been doing throughout most of the last century. To say that fashion has gone through a huge change overtime is an inexact statement. The truth is that fashion has been recycling itself over the last 70-80 years. Many fashion trends today reflect fashion trends that were popular in the 1950s-60s. Some of the popular fashion trends included afros, high wedge heel shoes, flair jeans, knee-high boots, canvas bags, etc.. Already this short list showcases items that we see in today’s fashion trends; for instance flair jeans and flair pants in general are especially popular in today’s society.

Differences are also prevalent when comparing today’s teenage fashion to that of the 50s and 60s. Judge McPherson spoke of a distinct difference in jewelry when she was a teenager. She described the jewelry style as going from “heavy” to “light (Vanzetta Penn McPherson, U.S. Magistrate Judge (Ret.)). Growing up she wore jewelry that was “heavy” and “wooden”(Vanzetta Penn McPherson, U.S. Magistrate Judge (Ret.). This brought in an opportunity for more creatively designed jewelry. The jewelry was more bold than the small delicate jewelry that is worn today. However, despite the fact that jewelry today is not as bold, or distinctive, it still allows people to express themselves through beauty, elegance and style. Sneakers are another distinctive difference in fashion trends. Sneakers have been becoming exceedingly popular since the 70s. They went from being “not in”, to being an everyday shoe for most people.

Economics is also an important factor to consider. In just the last 30 years prices in the U.S. have risen exponentially. Everything is more expensive: clothes, food, houses, transportation, etc. Judge McPherson noticed distinctively that “jeans” were less “expensive” than they are now (Vanzetta Penn McPherson, U.S. Magistrate Judge (Ret.)). With clothes in general being more expensive the fashion industry is growing as a whole through individual brands and stores. People are spending more money and buying more clothes to stay up to date with each and every fashion trend. These days sometimes it can feel like trends are beginning to override personal style.

Despite the fact that fashion trends seem to be reappearing in today’s society, the overall look of fashion is still changing. For example, flair jeans today do not look like they did half a century ago. The afro has also evolved from being loose hair that reached for the sky, to now sitting low and hanging off of the head. Fashion is cycling, but not recycling. Each time a trend comes back it has been evolved in some way shape or form by the most recent generation.

Fashion like everything else is changing and developing at an accelerated rate. However, it is just cycling itself throughout different generations. It is crazy to think that in our lifetime fashion trends are coming back from the 50s and 60s which was a different time on so many levels. So next time you ask your parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, etc. “What clothes were in style when you were a kid?” try to compare their answer to the clothes that we wear now, and see what connections you can make.



Bibliography

“—.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyclic.
“Vanzetta Penn McPherson, U.S. Magistrate Judge (Ret.)”. Personal Interview. 19 February 2024.

For more on influential women, check out the article: Influential Women From the Past Decade!

The post The Eternal Return of Fashion: An Interview With Vanzetta Penn McPherson, U.S. Magistrate Judge (Ret.) appeared first on GirlSpring.

WHAT PROGRAMS DOES GIRLSPRING HAVE?

Among its many initiatives, the Springboarders teen program stands out as the largest ongoing program at GirlSpring. The Springboarders consist of 62 girls in total, ages 13-18, including 20 new girls who joined this year in 2023. “Springboarders are content creators for the GirlSpring website and social media platforms,” exclaimed Springboarder Sarah. “We also have opportunities to take part in mentor programs, podcasts, volunteer events, informative workshops, as well as parties and fun events around Birmingham.” The GirlSpring website, girlspring.com, reaches 15,000 visitors per month, in Birmingham and beyond.

There are also executive leadership opportunities and various committees that girls can join. Radhika, the current President of Springboarders stated, “Springboarders was the first place I tasted leadership. In November of 2021, Ms. Greenwood (GirlSpring Executive Director) approached me with the idea of co-hosting the STEAM Fair. It was the first time I was being trusted with such a large event and by the time the event came around, it made me incredibly nervous. However, successfully leading that event led to me feeling more confident and as a result, trusting myself. It built a foundation for me to lead later on, and now I serve as President.”

According to Executive Director Kristen Greenwood, “The girls in leadership roles work together to develop a monthly topic for their website submissions, create online events for their peers, such as trivia nights and peer-to-peer college prep advice panels, and periodically get together to have volunteer days. Girls are drawn from all different schools and backgrounds, so through this program they get exposure to girls from different walks of life, they learn how to work together as a team, develop leadership skills, and get to meet lots of inspiring women from the community that they might not otherwise meet.”

HOW DOES GIRLSPRING BENEFIT GIRLS?

Being a part of a team like the Springboarders has been beneficial for many of the girls involved in the organization. “The Springboarders group has given me the unique opportunity to meet and connect with numerous girls around Birmingham that share a similar mindset as me: to empower girls,” mentioned Wardah, the current Vice President of the Springboarders. “As Vice President, I have gotten to work with several amazing girls to plan new events and come up with new ideas for community involvement and online engagement. Additionally, GirlSpring has given me  an online platform to creatively express myself via creating content for the Girlspring website, something I don’t get to do anywhere else.”

GirlSpring is dedicated to empowering young girls to embrace their unique talents and actively engage in their communities. “GirlSpring has been super beneficial to me in just raising my confidence,” said Sherrod. “Having a place to publish your work is already a big deal on its own, but really knowing other girls are reading it too means a lot. Seeing and getting to talk to other people who have read my articles means a lot and has pushed me out of my comfort zone. I have been able to feel confident enough in my opinions/work to put them out there and I have made lots of new friends because of it.”

Getting involved in GirlSpring also gives girls the opportunity to gain real-world career related experiences. According to Sarah, “Applying to be a Springboarder is a great process within itself given that you gain application and interview skills, plus being accepted welcomes you into a whole new world of opportunities both within your community and beyond.”

“There truly is a place for everyone in GirlSpring,” emphasized Sherrod, the Springboarder community liaison. “Whether you’re more artistically inclined, or up to date on current events, or like writing your pop culture opinion pieces, GirlSpring is welcoming to listen to you, and someone is learning from your work. It is a place that makes you feel comfortable and confident while simultaneously getting you out there and introducing you to so much more.”

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

The Springboarder girls are looking forward to the rest of the year and what is to come. Their next big project includes publishing a collaborative book with help from journalist and writer, Javacia Harris Bowser. The book will consist of a collection of work by individual Springboarders including poetry, personal stories and artwork, all about the empowerment of young girls. Under the guidance of individuals like Radhika, Sarah, Sherrod, and Wardah, GirlSpring is shaping the future for talented young girls, one story and one moment of empowerment at a time. Learn more about GirlSpring at www.GirlSpring.com. 

The post Meet the Springboarders – the group of girls that keeps GirlSpring running! appeared first on GirlSpring.

A resume is defined as, “A carefully written concise summary of relevant information about your education, experience, skills, qualifications and knowledge as it relates to the position for which you are applying.” At its core, a resume is a unique list of impressive, personal accomplishments, as well as valuable experiences that an individual has gained over time.

People often submit their resumes to a potential employer as part of the job application process. Doing so helps the applicant show the potential employer exactly why they are the right person for that job. Resumes are also used as a deciding factor in a wide variety of other application-based opportunities like college admissions, scholarship awards, and more!

Why is it important?

No matter what age you are, it’s important to have a professional resume that helps you stand out. If you don’t currently have a resume, I highly recommend creating one. Even if there’s nothing you’re currently interested in applying for, it’s always good to have a professional resume ready for when that time does come.

Furthermore, if you’ve never created a resume before, the idea of making one from scratch may seem a little overwhelming. To help you get started, I’ve compiled a list of key tips on how to start building a professional resume.

Things to Keep in Mind When Building a Resume

According to a 2018 study completed by the job search company Ladders Inc., the average recruiter spends a mere 7.4 seconds skimming an applicant’s resume. This means that employers are often not taking the time to fully read through an applicant’s resume, but are instead scanning it for key details.

As a result, it is important for individuals to know how to format and word their resume in a way that will catch a recruiter’s attention. And even though some of the following tips might seem fairly obvious, they are oftentimes the most important to remember, thus the easiest to overlook.

Tips on How to Build a Professional Resume

1. Be Professional

– Never use slang or curse words

– Check, and then double check your resume to make sure there aren’t any typos

– Be proud of your accomplishments, but never word them in a way that could come across as narcissistic or boastful

2. Include Your Contact Information

– The amount of personal information you include on your resume is up to you, but always make sure to leave at least one way for a recruiter to contact you

– I personally like to include my full name, email address, and phone number on my resume.

– If applicable, you can also choose to include other information such as a link to your LinkedIn account or personal website

3. Highlight Your Most Relevant Experiences

– Create a base resume with accomplishments that demonstrate commonly desired qualities.

– Experiences include showing one’s creativity, leadership, communication skills, and dedication

– For each individual application, pay attention to the desired applicant qualities for each specific opportunity. Examine your base resume and add any relevant qualifications or experiences you have that fit the desired qualities for that specific opportunity.

4. Make the Important Information Stand Out

– Bold or italicize important information, such as of job titles or positions you’ve held or even names of clubs you have been a part of

– Make sure you don’t overuse bold or italics too much on your resume though, or it will lose its effectiveness

5. Make Your Resume Easily Readable

– Include headings; leave an appropriate amount of white space, and use an easy to read font size and style on your resume

– Don’t use unnecessarily long descriptions to explain your accomplishments, only say what’s necessary to get the main point across

– Include dates displaying how long you held a position or participated in an activity

– Ex: Blogging Intern at GirlSpring, June 2020-August 2020)

– Don’t be afraid to look up resume examples online if you’re not sure how to format yours. Doing research is always better than guessing, thus it drastically helps improve the quality of your resume.

6. Try to Fit Your Resume onto a Single Page

– Job and college recruiters often have hundreds; if not thousands, of applications to go through. As a result, many recruiters will only skim through the details on the first page of an individual’s resume in an effort to save time.

– This is why it is vital to choose the most important and relevant information for each individual application and attempt to fit that information onto one page.

– I know from personal experience that it can be hard to limit a resume to just one page. This makes it a lot harder to pick and choose what’s most important when talking about your own hard-earned accomplishments.

– If you’re struggling to get your resume under one page, I suggest having a friend, teacher, or family member read over it and help you trim it down. This way you will get an objective opinion on what items seem most important vs what items you can afford to leave out.

– Your resume may grow to be longer than one page depending on the amount of experience you get and the number of new skills you acquire. As a result, it’s not necessary for your resume to always be one page or less. However, you should always make sure that every piece of information you put on your resume is relevant.

7. Include Unique Accomplishments & Be Original

– Is there something you’ve done that most people haven’t? Include that on your resume! Just make sure that it is somewhat relevant to whatever you are applying for.

– If you can’t think of anything you’ve done that’s extremely unique, try to find a unique way to word the accomplishments you do have.

8. Update Your Base Resume as Time Goes On

– Looking for a job after college, adding accomplishments you want to share with a future potential employer will be a lot different than they were when you were in high school.

– As time goes on, continue to add useful skills you’ve acquired along the way, such as any internship or job experiences, leadership positions in clubs, or specialized coursework. You may also need to remove some items from your resume that are no longer important or relevant to your current situation.

Online Resources to Make Creating and Formatting Your Resume Easier

Now that you know the basics, you probably want to get started creating a resume of your own. If you’re still a little unsure of just how to do that, here are a few resources to help you:

The 41 Best Resume Templates Ever 

5 Digital Tools That Will Make Your Resume Infinitely More Beautiful

And don’t forget to click the link and check out more resume tips from Girl Spring contributors!

The post Resume Building 101 appeared first on GirlSpring.

HOSA (Health Education Students of America), or future health professionals, helps high school students get a better understanding of the medical field and prepares them for a future in the medical field. I interviewed their President: Katie Swetz, and both of their Vice-Presidents of Public relations: Lauren Gardner and Emily Hofmann. I asked all three of them a series of questions about HOSA, women in the medical field, and how HOSA is helping women and I recorded their responses. 

The first question I asked was “What is HOSA and what do you guys do?”

Swetz said that “HOSA is a student-led organization that prepares students to be leaders in health science in the future as well as community service and outreach projects”. 

Next, I asked, “What does HOSA mean to you”.

Gardner said “HOSA to me means a way to get more in touch with the community and a way to further my education on health science because that is what I want to go into in the future, So I feel like this will really help me and give me a leg up in the future”

I also asked, “Why did you decide to be a member of HOSA?”.

Hofmann said: “I really like leading others and helping them work together, and health science and HOSA both have so much collaboration that it is so much fun learning how to work together to promote health science and get other people involved”

I ended up asking about women’s representation in Hosa, more specifically the question: “Do you feel like women are well represented in HOSA?”.

Swetz responded to this by saying “I do, there are a lot of women on the leadership board be it statewide, nationally, or in our smaller chapter. I feel like there is not much discrimination at all when it comes to competing and who has access to resources and I definitely think women are well represented”.

I asked them “You said that HOSA is about helping people get into the medical field, what made you want to be in the medical field and how does hosa give people, more specifically women, the leg up?”.

Gardner stated: “I want to be in the medical field because I have always loved trying to help people and I also have wanted to be in the medical field since I was a kid. My dad is a doctor so he kind of got me into it when he would take me to his office. I found it really interesting and As I learn more about it becomes more interesting”. She also said “It helps you connect more with the people around you and helps you meet a lot more women in health care and helps you say ‘wow, I can really do this, there are other women just like me in health care and they want to go out and be what I want to be.’”. Swetz responded to this by saying: “HOSA gives girls the leg up by really preparing us to be leaders in health science to not just survive, but thrive and to push the boundaries of what is possible.”

I also asked “Do you think a lot more women are going into the medical field than they were in previous decades?”.

Swetz responded by saying: “ Yes, actually there is scientific proof that there are more women going to college for more stem-based majors than, say, a liberal arts major. So yes I do and I am so excited to see such diversity in the Health Scientist community and I think it is wonderful”

I asked: “Do you think that women have to work harder to get to the same position that men are in regards to the medical field and do you think HOSA is going to be something that changes that?”.

Hofmann responded: “Yes, I do feel like women have to work twice as hard. Men do not have that- to prove people wrong and it is more of a leg up for me to work for that so that I’m even more prepared to succeed because I am working harder than they had to.”

The question “Do you think women are well represented in the medical field now?” was also asked, and the response from Swetz was “I think there is a lot of good representation, but I think there is always still room to grow. While we are better than we might have been many years ago, we still can be doing better. But I think we are on the right path.”. Gardner also answered this question and she said: “I do feel like they are well represented now depending on the specialty because I know there are some statistics that are insane about how few women are practicing or specializing in specific areas, so in certain parts of the medical field they are”

The last question asked: “To people who are interested in the medical field, what would you recommend them to do now to learn more about the field?”.

Gardner said: “Get involved as much as they can in things around them that are health-related and if they know anyone around them in the medical field they can try for an internship or talk with them and learn more about it and make sure it is really what they want to do in life. Also getting exposure to things in the medical field is something that can help women succeed in the medical field”. I also got Swetz’s answer which was “Do all of the research that you can, but know that nothing is set in stone and you don’t need to be decided on anything because anything can change in a matter of minutes as we have seen with the pandemic so I would say if it is something you really enjoy, do your research, look into [it because] maybe you want to be a doctor, maybe you want to be a physicians assistant, maybe you want to go [into] nursing, Just do all of the research to do something that you love, and then find out how to get there and make a plan, stick to your plan, and follow-through. But also be flexible with it, as you go about you may find out you really like another specialty better and may want to go down that path. So be prepared for it to change but stay focused, work hard, and know that you will get there”

HOSA is an organization that helps women strive to be in the medical field where the same opportunities are given to men and women. It is hard for women to find their space in many programs, especially STEM programs, so it is amazing what HOSA is doing for women who want to pursue STEM-based careers.

Learn more about HOSA here, https://alabamahosa.org/about/

The post Interview with Riverchase HOSA Officers (Future Health Professionals) appeared first on GirlSpring.

We were lucky to get an exclusive interview with Indi Star, actress, singer, dancer, and rising star! We are so excited about her new single, “Trust Issues” and her upcoming feature film, The Hyperions. You can learn more about Indi on her social media channels:

Instagram

TikTok

Youtube

For more celebrity interviews, check out our interview with Cricket Wampler.

The post Exclusive Interview with Actress Indi Star appeared first on GirlSpring.