WOW: Katie Boermeester ‘24
Nominated by: Victoria Lucontoni ’26
Why are you nominating this person?
I feel that Katie does so much around campus and doesn’t get the credit for it. She always helps anyone who might need it on the weekends and always makes sure everyone is okay. She takes other people’s problems on her as her own and does everything in her power to fix it. She has been there for me every time I need her. Plus, she was a work-study student at one point which she did with grace. She is a leader in every sense but she is humble about it. She will try to make your day whenever possible.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment would have to be tied to my ability to have made an impact and be able to be authentic on this campus. I never thought in a million years that I would be on Union’s campus, much less being someone that people can rely on. I am a people-pleaser by heart, and so I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to the campus alongside being able to be accepted and relied on not just as a woman on campus, but as a person as a whole. I realize this is not much of an accomplishment, but this is something that I hold close to my heart and I am proud to have been able to accomplish.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about many items, including feminism, environmentalism, LGBTQIA+ items, speaking about intersectionality (campus and worldwide), alongside spreading my wings and being able to discover new things that gauge my interest. Currently, speaking on hobbies, I am very passionate about my painting and discovering new mediums to express my emotions or mind in general.
Who do you look up to?
I do not necessarily look up to anyone. I think I derive my habits and practices based on numerous sources, including my family, people on social media, professors, and many others. To pinpoint one or a few people that I “look up to” would be an impossible task, as most people are already taller than me!
What does being a woman at Union mean to you?
Being a woman is something that I have taken lightly up until I came to Union. For a long time I was questioning my identity and how I wished to articulate myself as a person. I am proud of my feminine attributes, even if I do not 100% align with being a woman. Being authentic to me means that I am accepting of not only my feminine attributes, but also my masculine attributes as well. Being viewed as a woman does not bother me, more than anything I am proud to be viewed by someone in the first place.
How do you think Union can do a better job to support women?
I believe Union can do a better job in terms of not only acknowledging that sexual assault and other issues of the same/similar caliber occur on their “perfect” campus, alongside handling these issues in a concise, but productive manner. The resources for not only women, but for everyone, to have access to if they go through an event like this are accessible, but at the same time I do not feel as though the campus is doing enough to empower the voices of survivors and allow them the space to speak of their experience. I am grateful for Title IV and what they have done for me, but even if I am grateful, there are people that still do not have the confidence or reassurance to reach out for help. Union needs to reach out their hand to the community.
