Courtesy of Lindsay Brown.
At College Lifestyles ™ we believe in highlighting the work of truly remarkable classy co-eds. That is why we are excited to present the following interview with “Seventeen” magazine “Pretty Amazing” Cover Contest Winner Lindsay Brown.
Brown heard about the “Pretty Amazing” contest via Twitter in February, and had until April to submit a 1,000 word essay.
“It was exciting,” she said of applying and being accepted into the contest. She was thrilled that the age group she wanted to connect with would hear her story.
Courtesy of “Seventeen.”
Brown, 21, now a senior at the University of Notre Dame, turned her passion for soccer, her love of giving back and her knowledge of political science into a non-profit organization that aims to change the lives of girls in developing countries, currently Nepal, with Kenya, Cambodia and others to follow: The SEGway project (Soccer Empowering Girls Worldwide and You).
Brown began playing soccer in kindergarten, after her family moved to Chicago for her father’s work. She had a dream to play for the United States Women’s Olympic Soccer Team. She played soccer for Notre Dame, and the team was the 2010 NCAA Division I Champion. But her Olympic dream has changed, and she’s not playing soccer this year.
During Brown’s sophomore year she became involved with She’s the First, a non-profit dedicated to sponsoring “girls’ education in the developing world, helping them be the first in their families to graduate. In the process, She’s the First fosters leadership and global awareness in young Americans, by inspiring them to lead creative fundraisers and correspond with sponsored students. Our efforts shape a rising generation of well-educated global leaders, future philanthropists, and cross-cultural communicators,” according to their Facebook page. Their efforts sure paid off with Brown.
Brown and other wonderful ladies sponsored education in Nepal with She’s the First. Brown decided that she wanted to give those girls not only the opportunity for an education, but also an opportunity to play soccer. The SEGway Project was born; and also, a “Seventeen” magazine cover girl.
Lindsay Brown attends Pretty Amazing Luncheon at Hearst Tower, on Monday, June 18, honoring finalists. Photo credit: Amanda Schwab/Starpix for Seventeen.
Brown discovered that she was one of five “Pretty Amazing” finalists right before she left for Cambodia, where she spent the summer studying human trafficking.When Brown learned that she had won the contest, she could not have been more thrilled. Watch her soccer team reveal her win and see her reaction here.
Brown is on the cover of “Seventeen” magazine’s October issue, and she will receive a $20,000 scholarship, courtesy of Neutrogena. The scholarship will help Brown’s senior year, as she gave up her scholarship when she left the team in order to dedicate her time to SEGway.
When asked if she feels as though sometimes people look at her and the SEGway project and think “she’s too young,” Brown responded, “age is irrelevant if you’re passionate and committed.”
She has big plans for SEGway, and hopes one day that it will have influence on every continent in the developing world. Her political science major, with a focus on international relations, has been helpful with the project (and vice versa), and she hopes to attend graduate school.
To learn more about the SEGway project, visit http://theSEGwayproject.org and follow them on Twitter @SEGwayproject.
To learn more about She’s the First, visit http://shesthefirst.org and follow them on Twitter @shesthefirst.
Brown’s cover for “Seventeen” hit stands on September 11. To learn more about “Seventeen” visit their website http://seventeen.com and follow them on Twitter @seventeenmag.
Courtesy of “Seventeen.”
