YOULeadandInfluence

COVID-19 has altered our lives. While the pandemic affects some more than others, we want to take time to celebrate those who have had a presence on the front lines. There is no doubt that Katies work to keep our communities healthy and strong. We are extremely proud and honored to be connected to you: nurses, respiratory caregivers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, public health workers, social workers, educators, parents, food suppliers, retailers, food deliverers, religious leaders, and so many more. You truly personify what it means to lead and influence.

Here are a few samples of the many stories surrounding us right now in the media.

MAKING MASKS FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Tegan Sickeler '08, '20 (image provided)

Tegan Sickeler ’08, ’20, apparel design major, needed an internship to complete her degree, but when campus locked down due to COVID-19, her internship with the Apparel, Merchandising, and Design department came to an abrupt ending. Luckily, a group dubbed the Masked Crusaders was recruiting highly-skilled Twin Cities sewers to join them in making reusable medical-grade face masks for healthcare workers. The mask requires a very complicated pattern and special upcycled fabric. Sickeler worked with her professors to adjust her previous internship plans to complete work with the Crusaders’ efforts and helped to complete nearly 3,100 masks for healthcare workers.

Read more about the Masked Crusaders at stkate.edu/minnpost-Sickeler.

NOT A “HERO”

Lindsey Kuehl '11 (image provided)

Nurse Lindsey Kuehl ’11 is a Twin Cities nurse working through the COVID-19 pandemic who shared her perspective on her career with KARE 11 on their Women Crushing It Wednesday segment. Kuehl says, “I do not consider myself a hero, it’s just my job. And we’re just trying to do our job the best we can.”

Watch her interview at stkate.edu/KARE11-Kuehl.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH

On sidewalks across the Twin Cities, Taylor Tinkham MAHS’21 crafts colorful chalked reminders for Twin Cities residents to pause, breathe, and reflect. A partial circle drawn on the pavement invites you in and asks you to first take a breath. Tinkham was also interviewed for KARE 11’s Women Crushing It Wednesday segment for her work on mental health awareness with American Public Media.

Watch her interview at stkate.edu/KARE11-Tinkham.

Join the movement.

Share with us via social, email, or even a phone call, how you or your alumni friends are leading during the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery. Remember to use the hashtag #YOULeadandInfluence.

We have chosen to remove this photo because it contains an image that has been associated with white supremicist groups. The art featured in the original social media post was done without any harmful intent, and without knowledge of the ways that image has been used to cause harm to communities of color. Although there was no harmful intent, the impact of legitimate pain caused by the sharing of this particular symbol warrants our removal of it.

Bethany Del Real ’18 #YOULeadandInfluence

Larrissa Karl ’15 #YOULeadandInfluence