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![Sunday Stories - Despite starting out shy in her first semester, Meri Emongo, a senior here at Ozarks, has grown to become co-founder and president of the She Ignites Club, an organization dedicated to the empowerment of women on campus.
“It’s meant to be a safe space to celebrate the diversity of women on campus,” Meri said.
This is partially based on a group that Meri has back home called “Sit with the Women,” and it is about “women getting stronger together in their faith.” Meri and her fellow officers wanted to bring a piece of this “sisterhood” to Ozarks.
The events have been a huge hit as more and more women engage with the club. Now that Meri is graduating, she is hopeful the organization will continue to thrive for many years to come.
Meri is an international student from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Her sister, who was living in the U.S., helped her apply to several universities. Ozarks stood out not only because of its financial aid package but its curriculum.
“I think the LENS program is one of the best things the University has to offer, and I really took advantage of it,” she said.
Though Meri is majoring in finance, “I have an art side too,” she said. Her minor in art has been an outlet to explore her creative side – especially when it comes to photography.
Meri has taken several photography classes, even though they were not all requirements for her degree; “Its a good thing to explore a different side of me besides just my major from freshman year to graduation. Now I know I can have a camera, I can charge people for pictures now; it’s something [else] I can do.”
Meri believes people end up where they are meant to be: “Just because life isn’t what you expected it to be, doesn’t mean this is the wrong path,” she said.
“Who would have thought: ‘Meri, not knowing much English or about studying in the U.S., would be creating changes on campus?!’ I’m proud I’m part of this.”
Feature produced by Communications Studies major Phoenix Mertin](https://ozarks.edu/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)