From a temporary option to a proud alumna

By Kylie Campbell

It was never the plan to stay, but Katelyn Firestein, BA ’20 Communication Studies, took her time at IU South Bend to become a leader. She had the opportunity to achieve success.

While attending IU South Bend had never been in Firestein’s plans, she had applied at universities across the country, which is quite the opposite of attending a regional campus right here in town. However, after graduating high school, she realized she was not quite ready to leave home, so she decided to take a gap year and work in town before leaving for school. Firestein was not sure exactly what she wanted to do with her college career and that scared her.

That gap year never happened, thanks to the encouragement and a little bit of persuasion from family, particularly her sister, who was in the Communication Studies Program at Saint Mary’s College. Firestein’s family, a steady support system, convinced her to enroll part-time at IU South Bend to avoid falling behind and pushing back her graduation date. She was so inspired by the introduction to Women's and Genders Studies class, taught by Christina Gerken, that she decided she needed to make this a bigger part of her college career. Firestein was unwavering in her determination to declare Women’s and Gender Studies as either a second major or a minor. Along with her major in Communication Studies with a concentration in Health Communication, Firestein declared a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, to keep her on track for her set graduation date of May 2020. Firestein insists she loves her minor and major equally.

Firestein discovered The Preface, IU South Bend’s official student newspaper, shortly into her time at the university. She joined The Preface as a staff writer in the spring semester of her sophomore year as well. According to Firestein, “What “What really altered my really altered my experience at IU South Bend, is when experience at IU South Bend, I started working for The Preface as a staff writer. That is when I started working for is when I first realized I was The Preface as a staff writer.” capable of doing more than just taking classes.” “IU South Bend was enough of a commuter campus that people went about their own business, but enough of a Firestein explains, “At first, I wasn’t thrilled, and I thought I typical university that there were student organizations, would eventually transfer. Going to high school in the area, coffee shops, and things to get involved with on campus. I IU South Bend is always stigmatized as just another regional didn’t take full advantage of all of this right away, but once I campus.” did, I began to realize how much I would thrive at this place.”

To Firestein’s surprise, IU South Bend had other plans for her. Firestein grew to love IU South Bend, more than she had ever expected. The university dazzled her with this beautiful landscape and convenient location, but what really blew her away was the welcoming atmosphere in the Communication Studies Department.

Firestein loved her professors and classmates, and she built many meaningful relationships and friendships. She truly found her niche in Communication Studies.

While taking classes that fulfilled her Gen Ed curriculum requirements in the fall of her sophomore year, Firestein stumbled into and fell deeply in love with Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS). Firestein had been inspired by her time at The Preface and Gerken’s teachings of her intro class to WGS, but she had no idea that April Lidinsky, director of the Master of Liberal Studies and associate professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, was right around the corner, just waiting to add fuel to her spark of inspiration. Lidinsky lives and breathes activism.

Lidinsky had approached Firestein and disclosed that the Queer Straight Alliance needed new leadership to continue as an active club on campus. Firestein, ready to take on any challenge given to her, agreed to become the president of QSA.

Bisexual Visibility Week, and Trans Awareness Week. Every meeting began with Firestein going around the room and asking everyone to share one good thing and one bad thing about their week. These meetings meant a lot to many.

Firestein understood what was in front of her, an opportunity to truly make a difference both on campus and in the local LGBTQ+ community. Firestein coordinated a Queer Speaker Series with LGBTQ+ professionals in the area. This series was a platform for successful LGBTQ+ professionals to speak and answer questions from students. The club opened the speaker series to the entire campus, advertising through Titan Atlas.

Up until this point, the QSA averaged about five members attending the weekly meetings. The speaker series, however, brought in closer to 20 attendees per panel.

Firestein describes the impact the QSA had on her, stating, “running the QSA not only gave me more confidence as a leader, but inspired me to be more educated and involved with the LGBTQ+ community. I identify as pansexual but until the QSA, I really had not connected with a lot of other LGBTQ+ individuals. It helped me to be more confident in my identity and to realize the struggles other queer people face.”

Under Firestein’s leadership, the Queer Straight Alliance, well-deservingly, won the Student Organization of the Year award in the 2019 Student Leadership Awards.

Firestein was quickly offered the opportunity to lead the school’s newspaper as the editor-in-chief. Firestein felt the experience was too good to pass up and jumped at it.

Firestein points out, “I have always loved writing. So, when the opportunity became available, it was a no-brainer. That helped me develop more of my communication skills and helped me find my voice as a writer.” Firestein was later awarded the Arts Excellence Award in Writing from the Raclin School of the Arts in April of 2019. Her passion for activism never left. After becoming the editor-in-chief, Firestein interned with Planned Parenthood the spring semester of her senior year.

Firestein explains, “Madeline Higgins, Regional Field Organizer with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana and Kentucky, took me under her wing. I worked as a recruitment intern and started the first steps for creating a Generation Action Chapter on IU South Bend’s campus, which is an opportunity for college students to get involved in reproductive rights advocacy.

“I always thought it was cheesy when people would talk about how they ‘found themselves’ in college- but I really did. I found my voice. I found me. I discovered new passions and gained confidence. I met incredible people. The faculty and staff are wonderful and provide so many resources to succeed. The students I met at IU South Bend are incredibly serious about their education; driven leaders,” she adds.

Firestein will move from being a student leader to a community leader, and her presence at IU South Bend will be missed, but not forgotten.