As a first-year student, it did not take long for Natalie Nottolini to discover that the then marketing major was not a fan of … wait for it: marketing. Instead of panicking, Natalie took another approach – she hit the books and researched other majors within Krannert School of Management to see what might interest her. At that time, Natalie discovered Krannert’s Masters Supply Chain program, ranked no. 4 worldwide. She thought, “I better take advantage of that opportunity while at Purdue!”
Natalie took a few classes to test the waters, fell in love with the program and switched her major to supply chain information and analytics. For Natalie, it was a match made in heaven.
Now that her academic path was headed in the right direction, Natalie and her roommates decided to get more involved in the Purdue community. While exploring her options, one of her professors recommended an organization that focused on everything she and her friends were looking for: Feminist Action Coalition for Today (FACT). FACT is a Purdue Women’s Studies student organization that promotes gender equality and social justice on Purdue’s campus and in the local community.
Currently the treasurer of FACT, Natalie reflects on one of the events she helped to lead.
“I think about one project when FACT hosted Take Back the Night in October 2019," Natalie says. "We worked for months to plan a march and rally. Joining an organization like FACT has given me the knowledge and ability to best make an impact at Purdue.”
Natalie’s leadership efforts paid off. The 2019 event had a record attendance of 250 participants in the march and vigil.
Natalie also notes that this past year at Purdue has been especially difficult for her and other students. She said that moving online was quite a change, but she focused on making sure others knew they were not alone. Natalie checked in with her classmates and friends regularly to keep connections strong even when they did not see each other in person. She appreciated Purdue’s online platform for students to stay connected.
When asked where she honed her leadership skills, Natalie said she learned a lot from the Civic Engagement and Leadership Development office. Activities like the MyStrengths workshops and organizing institutes helped her foster community and taught her how to use her leadership skills effectively.
Natalie says,
“I don’t think leadership has to be singular. You can be a better leader alongside other leaders.”
