By Nicole DeSimone
Contributing Writer

Sometimes, all it takes is one passionate person and a good cause to inspire.

This was certainly the case for Simmons student Kelsea Gildawie, founder and president of the new Simmons chapter of the organization, She’s the First.

“A close friend of mine…started a She’s the First chapter at American University a few years ago,” Gildawie said. “Her passion for the organization and the awareness she spread about the need for education for girls throughout the world inspired me to bring She’s the First to my own college.”

She’s the First is “a non-profit organization that sponsor girls in developing countries, helping them to become the first in their families to graduate from high school,” according to the Forbes website. It was formed in 2009 by communications professional Tammy Tibbetts, according to the New York Women in Communications, Inc. website.

While female students make up the majority of the college population here in the United States, as reported by Forbes’s website, in many countries it is a drastically different story. For instance, “there are 33 million fewer girls than boys in primary school,” according the website for Girl Rising.

She’s the First has the potential to help increase the number of educated girls, and thus, contribute to the international fight against poverty, Gildawie says.

Taking a cue from her friend, Gildawie undertook the task of bringing She’s the First to Simmons. This extensive process included, among other things, explaining to the organization’s New York headquarters as to “why Simmons would be a good place for a chapter,” composing a set of core principles to guide the club, and choosing an effective club mentor, Gildawie said.

“Our main long-term goal as a chapter of She’s the First is to raise enough money to start sending girls in developing countries to school,” said Gildawie. “In order to do this, we need to spread the word about She’s the First and bring the issue of girls’ education to the attention of the Simmons community. So, awareness and education directed toward the Simmons and Boston communities is a huge goal of ours for the coming years.”

The strategy, according to Gildawie, is to host functions that increase the consciousness about this issue and help accumulate a substantial amount of donation money.

Gildawie believes that Simmons students have a great deal to offer the She’s the First organization. “Every day, I meet another student who is inspired by our message and willing to donate her time and energy toward bettering the lives of girls around the world,” said Gildawie.

Gildawie also noted that no other institution of higher education in Boston currently has a chapter of She’s the First. Therefore, she asserts, Simmons has the opportunity to motivate their neighboring colleges to create their own chapters.

After all, sometimes, all it takes is one passionate person and a good cause to inspire.