Q&A with Student Council President Gemma Wichmann ’26

Both a school leader and standout athlete, Gemma Wichmann ’26 has been involved with Student Council, Night in Blue, soccer, and basketball throughout her time at Magnificat. Before she heads off next fall to Loyola University Chicago, where she will play basketball and study education, she will lead the student body as Student Council President.

How did you become involved with Magnificat’s Student Council?

When I came in as a freshman, my sister (Mary Kate Wichmann ’23) was Student Council President, so I got to see her do all the behind the scenes planning for the All School Dance and Big-Little. I loved watching her do that, and seeing how she got to lead is what really inspired me. I’ve been on Student Council since freshman year, and I’ve loved making friends and being able to do some of the fun activities.

What are your goals for this year in this role?

We’ve taken on a few extra girls in Student Council, and we’ve also taken on a lot more responsibility for events like Big-Little and Night in Blue. We have the opportunity to be able to continue one of our biggest fundraisers, and we’re getting a lot more student perspectives from different girls—so I’ve loved getting that. We’ve done so many things the same way, so it’s nice to have more input.

How has Magnificat prepared you for leadership?

From day one, because of the people, you’re automatically lifted up. What I love about going to an all-girls school is the women supporting women. I’ve always had people supporting me to be my best. I knew I wanted to be a leader. I wanted to lead in the classroom, and then also on the sports teams. I will play basketball in college, so I’m hoping to also be a captain once I get there.

What does leadership mean to you?

To me, a leader is someone who you know you can turn to. Like when you have a question about something or you can’t complete an activity, you can reach out to them and they will be able to help you out in any way. So part of why I wanted to become a leader is because I had so many amazing people ahead of me, and I wanted to do what they did for others.

What advice would you give to students interested in taking on formal leadership positions?

I would say the biggest thing is to just be genuine. You get the opportunity to know so many people, so they feel comfortable and trust you to take on any leadership role. They know they can go to you and know that you’ll represent them.