提倡参与

Imagine having the task of fostering engagement among students during a global p和emic 和 a derecho storm that shut down campus 和 caused historic damage on the Hill. 

That’s exactly what Emma Lantz ’22 was facing during her tenure as Student Government Association President. Add to that the national unrest surrounding the death of George Floyd in May of 2020, 和 Emma presided as a student leader during one of the most unique 和 turbulent periods in the history of Mount Mercy大学. 

“The way it impacted me was actually seeing it through the lens of other students 和 advocating for them,”艾玛说。. “Being able to listen to them 和 underst和 what they need. I got to really focus on other people 和 what they needed at that time.” 

It was an experience that shaped not only her Mount Mercy experience, but her career path as well. Emma is the 2024 recipient of Mount Mercy’s Certificate of Merit alumni award.  

A Cedar Rapids native, she initially arrived at Mount Mercy with the intent of getting into 社会工作. 

“It was close to home 和 it just felt comfortable when I visited,”艾玛说。. “感觉就对了.” 

2018年“为我们的生命游行”活动, focused on ending gun violence in the United States, 影响了她转专业的决定 刑事司法 和 心理学. Emma saw during her college experience that students have a voice, which was a position she would advocate during her tenure as Student Government Association President. 

“I think helping students get involved is important because it creates a holistic college experience,”艾玛说。. “Students are powerful 和 they have this drive for change. Some students don’t know it until they get involved 和 have another experience where it changes their perspective or they get an internship 和 it changes the direction of where they want to go in life. There’s just so much attached to getting involved 和 getting engaged.” 

Emma is grateful for the individuals who impacted her engaged experience at Mount Mercy, 其中提到, 同学Tiara Munoz, 费尔南达·埃莫西略·阿里埃塔, 德拉·洛佩兹·德尔加多, 和 Jada Veasey; 心理学 faculty Dr. 杰琳·沙利文博士. Matthew Bejar; plus, staff members Dr. 丹尼尔·拉德, Dr. Nate Klein, Keesha Burke-Henderson, 和 Victor Rocha. She especially noted Director of Diversity, Equity, 和 Inclusivity Dr. 查尔斯·R. 马丁-斯坦利二世的影响很大. 

“He really gave his time to create an environment at Mount Mercy where students come first,”艾玛说。. “That really transcended how I work 和 how I want to live my life 和 my values.” 

毕业后, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Emma decided on a role with a focus on student engagement. She was hired as a Program Coordinator for Student Engagement at 伊利诺斯州 College in Springfield, 伊利诺斯州, before later transitioning to Assistant Director for Student Engagement. 在那个位置上, she had the task of helping students get engaged with various opportunities on campus. 

“Students should get involved because it makes them a more well-rounded human who is prepared to take on this world, 成为明日的公民, 并以需要的方式影响世界,”她说。. 

"Students should get involved because it makes them a more well-rounded human who is prepared to take on this world, 成为明日的公民, 并以需要的方式影响世界.——艾玛·兰茨，22岁

她的部分职责包括监督希腊人寿, where Emma introduced training to students focused on bias, 心理健康, 建筑的简历, 和 instruction on how to adequately run student organizations. She worked with the International Student Organization to bring a Multicultural Fair to 伊利诺斯州 College, 庆祝世界各地的文化. She also brought back the Student Organization Awards, which acknowledged the work 和 accomplishments of student groups.  

2024年5月, Emma took the next step in her career journey when she stepped down from her position at 伊利诺斯州 College to pursue a graduate degree at the University of 伊利诺斯州 Springfield. She accepted a position as a graduate assistant at the Center for State Policy 和 Leadership, helping to research proposed bills 和 legislation for the 伊利诺斯州 legislature, 而在同一时间, 攻读公共政策硕士学位. 

“I know I want to work with people that are fighting to make a difference in our world,”艾玛说。. “That’s what I hope to gain from my master’s program.” 

当她继续她的职业道路, Emma is grateful for her experiences at Mount Mercy, which she said has helped lead to real world success. Not surprisingly, she encourages today’s students to be active 和 involved. 

“You never know the people you’ll meet 和 what you’ll be able to accomplish, 和 I think that’s an integral part of the college experience,”她说。. “My second piece of advice would be to advocate for yourself. Students 和 individuals are powerful, 和 your experiences are your truth. So, what I would tell students is to never be afraid of speaking up 和 telling admins or staff or faculty what they need to know 和 how you can be supported, because often times they will figure it out 和 find ways to support you.”