by Alexandra Vojtila ’17
Senior at Nichols College - Double major: Economics & Business Communication
- Institute for Women’s Leadership (IWL) Program Coordinator
- 4th Year on IWL Student Advisory Panel
- Economics Club
- Poetry Club
Where I am From:
I come from Southington, CT, where the bears, coyotes, and deer frolic around my back yard. As much as a I love being surrounded by towering green pine and birch trees, I equally love being 10 minutes away from Hartford, a city bustling with insurance companies and a myriad of food establishments and people from all walks of life. I have a patient mom who would do anything for me and a hilarious dad who is 6’5″ and loves talking business with me. I have no siblings and one dog (that my mom considers to be another child). I went to small private Catholic schools since pre-school, and I thoroughly enjoy being at a small and intimate college like Nichols where I can feel like I am surrounded by family in a community-based environment.
What I Love:
Cooking is a passion of mine. I like to look at recipes and throw my own twist into the dishes that I create. Growing up, I often went out to lunch and dinner every day, so once I began cooking, I enjoyed teaching myself. I enjoy giving my time to those in need. I spent over a month in Haiti living at an orphanage and building medical offices, a play scape, and a school resource room. I also spent two weeks in New Orleans, Louisiana, where I helped to rebuild homes of those affected by Hurricane Katrina. I enjoy traveling and I recently spent five months in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where I studied and got a better understanding for life outside of the United States. In my free time, I like to read, cook, spend time with my family, go on adventures with my friends, and research architecture.
My Life at Nichols:
When I began at Nichols College, I knew right away that I wanted to get involved on campus. After dedicating many of my earlier years to sports, I was no longer allowed to play because of several back surgeries. I decided to try a variety of new clubs revolving around different subjects. I joined the Campus Activities Board, the Poetry Club, the Economics Club, and the one with the most impact, the Institute for Women’s Leadership. Throughout these different clubs on campus, I met new students, new faculty, and new friends. I had things to look forward to and I was never bored. I even found new passions that I would have never known I had. I even added on another major because I enjoyed class time so much. If you looked back and asked the high school version of me if any of this would have been possible, she would have laughed and shook her head.
Being a part of the IWL:
When I was a freshman, I received an email inviting me to an intimate dinner including myself, other students, a few faculty members, and a female guest speaker who was a successful business woman. I was attracted to the idea of getting to talk to a successful female one-on-one and to eating a catered dinner other than Lombard. I signed up, showed up at Daniels Auditorium, and I was hooked. Since then, I applied to be on the Institute for Women’s Leadership panel as a freshman, and four years later, I’m still a strong member of the panel. I enjoy meeting with our mentors, helping other females around campus gain confidence, and raising awareness. Recently I was even promoted to be the Program Coordinator for the Institute for Women’s Leadership. Now, instead of going to the events that I love, I can help to create them and make them a reality!
Alexandra joins Olivia Barrett ’16, who is finishing her last semester as an IWL Program Coordinator.
