A 90-minute film changed how Renée Barouxis '14 sees the world. As part of a class assignment she watched the documentary "Miss Representation" which describes the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in the U.S. Since viewing the film, she has been inspired to further examine how women successfully assume leadership.

Renée herself is already a leader. She has served in a variety of campus positions, including as secretary of outreach for the Student Government Association, as a research assistant conducting studies on the effectiveness of female faculty mentorship, and as a peer ambassador and communications assistant in Commonwealth Honors College. She also worked as an intern for the campaign to elect Elizabeth Warren the first woman U.S. senator from Massachusetts. An avid hiker and biker recognized for her "honor, integrity, spirit, and service," Renée was selected as Homecoming Queen and received an award from the UMass Alumni Association in the fall of 2012.

This article originally appeared in Bragging Writes on the Commonwealth Honors College website. Click here to read the rest of the article...