Alexandra Sepolen

You might know me as…The girl who narrated that SHAG video, the girl who plans Sex Week every year, the girl who joined (almost) every gender and sexuality group on campus, the girl who is overly excited about sex ed, and the girl who perpetually has condoms fall out of her bag because she's facilitating a workshop with SHEEC, SHAG, or the WPCs!When I’m at Brown, you can find me in...Keeney because I never moved out! I lived in Archibald during my first year and ended up staying there to work as a Women Peer Counselor (WPC)!Definitely take the time to talk to your WPC (or any RPLs) before leaving Brown! All of the staff have so much love for the student body, and all of the RPLs are some of the most interesting and inspiring students on this campus!My Brown experience in six words.Black women deserve so much respect!Favorite class/ professor at Brown...Anyone who is interested in social justice, health, and identity should take ANTH1242: Bioethics and Culture with Katherine Mason before they graduate! The course solidified my decision to focus on reproductive justice within the Public Health concentration. Professor Mason encourages students to form stances and a critical consciousness around the impact of controversial health topics on vulnerable and marginalized communities. She also was extremely invested in my growth and success after I took her class. I deeply appreciate the time that she invests in her students, including myself.Things I wish I knew when I came to Brown:1) You will not be trusted if you are the only person sitting in a booth in the Blue Room during lunch when 3-4 people are trying to find somewhere to sit.2) Do not listen to a surprise album dropped by Beyoncé on the night before your physiology final… #AvoidTheTrap3) Never decline attendance at any event held at the Faculty Club—especially if you like eating really great food!4) It is perfectly fine to be wrong or to make mistakes! Sometimes, Brown can feel like a place where you are expected to know everything, but you are here to learn and grow! Take advantage of the opportunity to unapologetically ask questions and to challenge yourself to be vulnerable. Some of the most impactful moments of my time at Brown came after I jumped at opportunities when I didn't know what the outcomes would be.5) Know yourself. I remember when my mom said this to me before starting the Third World Transition Program (TWTP), but I didn't realize at the time what she meant. Remaining in tune with your strengths and weaknesses is one of the greatest signs of growth at Brown. Gaining self-awareness during my time at Brown informed many of the decisions that I made during my time at Brown such as changing my concentration from Sc.B. Biology to A.B. Public Health, learning how to manage my time and even when to say "no."6) Always keep your receipts for future use.My favorite Brown memory is…Rooming with Jessica, Jarred, and David during the Black Solidarity Conference (BSC) this year! Black Student Union (BSU) sends a group of students to the conference at Yale every year in order to bond with other Black student leaders across the country. Attending BSC was by far one of the best experiences that I've had during my time at Brown, and I encourage any Black student to attend at least once before graduating! Being surrounded by so many Black students from across the country who are aiming for success was very inspiring. I was so happy to have been able to attend the conference with an incredible group of student leaders who have invested so much time into making change at Brown.My most embarrassing Brown memory is…Walking into MATH0100 completely drenched on my first day of class at Brown after it unexpectedly started raining. Rain in California is nothing like rain in Providence. I now carry an umbrella in my bag at all times out of fear of getting rained on at any moment...What I will miss most here next year is…Running SHEEC! The Sexual Health Education and Empowerment Council plans Sex Week for Brown every year! Planning over 20 workshops for a weeklong conference takes a tremendous amount of preparation, time and collaboration! Some of the most incredible people that I have met during my time at Brown have worked on Sex Week with me, and it has been such an amazing experience to have such a close bond with so many people!My go-to order in the Blue Room is...Depends on the day! If I'm really hungry, then I'll order a sandwich with ciabatta bread, Italian dressing, prosciutto, ham, mozzarella, tomatoes and spinach! Otherwise, I'll just order a red velvet muffin!In my time at Brown, I am most proud of…Studying abroad and completing my thesis!During the summer before senior year, I studied abroad with nine other students in Comillas, Spain, as part of Brown's summer study abroad program for visual art! Studying abroad was the most exciting experience that I had as a student, and I made so many friends during my time there! I also had several experiences that allowed me to use my art as a platform to explore how my race and my gender were received in a location outside of the U.S.After returning from Spain, I worked on creating a smartphone application for teenage girls to learn about sexual health as part of my thesis under Dr. Lynae Brayboy! The two-year research experience was extremely fulfilling and challenged me to exceed the expectations that I set for myself as a student. We were also were fortunate enough to have our abstract published in a research journal in February and presented our research earlier in the month in Toronto!Brown’s best kept secret?If you know someone who has a key, you can get into the bell tower over Wayland Arch. The view of Wriston and the south part of campus is incredible from there!My post-graduation plans are to...Move to NYC for graduate school! I will be attending Columbia's Masters in Public Health Program to study Sociomedical Sciences and receive a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual and Reproductive Health.Is there a class or a department that you think all students should engage with, take, or visit during their time at Brown? (Donovan's question)I really think that everyone should take at least one class at the School of Public Health! Venturing off the main campus to take classes at the scoop allowed me to take some really awesome classes and have a nearly endless supply of free food! During this semester, I took PHP2365: Public Health in LGBT Populations with Don Operario. The course was the first one that I took during Brown that focused on how gender and sexuality play a role in shaping your health. Whether you are LGBTQ+ or not, the class forces you to think about the ways in which your health can be both very personal and very political. The class really inspired me to think about how to incorporate identity, social justice and ethics into my research in a meaningful way.