Katie McCarthy is a student at Macalester College majoring in Religious Studies and Classical Languages with minors in Computer Science and Middle Eastern Studies. She became a GGAL mentor during the Spring of 2021 and just recently wrapped up her mentorship this June. Katie’s dream career is to be a lawyer fighting for women and girls’ rights!
Why did you choose your major?
I love puzzles, and to me that's what a language is! I also find rituals fascinating, which is what religious studies revolves around. I picked my majors because those were the classes that felt the most fun to me! Doing homework was never a chore and I really really enjoyed and felt supported by my professors in those departments. What are your plans for after college or what is your dream career? I hope to one day be a lawyer fighting for girls' education around the world! What motivated you to mentor or intern with us? I value the importance of education and helping make learning fun! I think that empowering girls to feel confident in their academic abilities is important. But I also love how GGAL emphasizes that school is important, but other things are insanely important as well, like healthy relationships. I think you're never too young to learn about boundaries and healthy communication.
“The most successful homework help sessions were also the session filled with the most laughter. The most productive and encouraging conversations were also the conversations where we could be our true selves. ”
What were your personal or professional goals as a WISE mentor or intern? As a WISE intern, I wanted to learn more about the structures of nonprofits and the ways they can collaborate with schools. What did you learn or take away from your experience with WISE? The most successful homework help sessions were also the session filled with the most laughter. The most productive and encouraging conversations were also the conversations where we could be our true selves. There is a balance between productivity and fun, and GGAL certainly had the right mix. Did you experience any challenges during your mentorship or internship? Being a mentor over zoom was really difficult. It took some time to create a strong relationship with the mentees due to not seeing each other face-to-face, and also the unnatural aspect of having to 'unmute' yourself to join conversations. Over time though, we were able to really grow our mentoring relationships. Please share a memory or experience that was significant to you during your mentorship/internship. Like I said before, GGAL really taught me how to find a balance between productivity and fun, and I am so grateful for that. Looking back on the experience holistically, there were sessions where we just played games the entire time, sessions where we only had serious conversations, and sessions with a little of both. GGAL sessions fostered an environment where showing up with your authentic self was all that was necessary for a day of growth and fun.
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