Confident Women

Alex Wainwright

ZETA CHI (Texas Christian) 

ASPIRING OLYMPIAN

What fills Alex Wainwright’s (Texas Christian) cup? Sports, people and places. As a member of the USA Karate National Team, Alex experiences all three by participating in the sport she loves most and traveling all over the world for competitions with her team, her best friends. Alex adds, “It is quite literally the most fulfilling thing I could ask for.”

Now 22, Alex started karate at the tender age of 8. After her mom took her to watch one of her cousin’s karate classes, Alex was mesmerized by the sport. She signed up for her first class shortly thereafter, and as Alex says, “The rest is history.”

She had no idea about the levels of growth karate presented until a few years into the sport. After learning about the national team, Alex knew what to work toward. Not making the team the first year she tried out was, in hindsight, a good thing. It prompted Alex to work harder to meet her goal. During the next year of tryouts, she was stronger than ever before and made the team. She adds, “I have been on the national team for eight consecutive years. Every year we have to try out to earn our spot, and every year I successfully made the team.”

Alex adheres to a rigorous karate schedule, with practices taking place three days a week. On her off days, she works out at the gym to maintain the athletic prowess needed to consistently perform at a high level. Her competition schedule is less structured but equally taxing. She typically competes in three national tournaments a year and, based on her school schedule, three to six international tournaments as well. “Depending on the scheduling of things, I could have one tournament over the span of two months or two tournaments on back-to-back weekends.”

With such a rigid karate schedule, how does Alex balance everything else, like school, extracurriculars and socializing with friends, including her sisters? Mastering the art of keeping a to-do list. She also likes to mitigate stress by staying ahead of homework or academic assignments. Doing so gives her the freedom to spend time with friends when her schedule allows. Time spent with them allows Alex a much-needed respite from her other responsibilities. “My favorite thing to do after a long day is spend time with my friends. They keep me grounded and remind me of the best parts of life,” she says.

Alex will graduate this coming May, earning a degree in marketing and psychology. True to her list-keeping/ planner self, Alex already has a job lined up postcollege. She will work as a business development associate for ISN Software Corporation, where she interned just a year ago. “I absolutely loved the company then and I am excited to return full time as an employee of theirs!”

And when it comes to karate, like most lifelong athletes, Alex has her eyes on the Olympics. Until then, she has a few other goals she wants to reach. “I would love to win gold at the Pan American Games. Ultimately, I envision continuing karate as much as I can beyond college, and I hope that my new schedule will permit me to do so.”

Manuela Montes De Oca

EPSILON TAU (Rochester) 

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING EXPERT

The Handler Scholarship is the most prestigious award for undergraduate students at the University of Rochester, offering full financial support throughout four years of study. Only a select group of academically exceptional students are honored with this award. In spring 2021, Manuela Montes De Oca (Rochester) was one of them.

“Hailing from Uruguay as an international student, the prospect of studying abroad and immersing myself in a diverse academic environment had always been a cherished aspiration. This dream materialized when I [became a Handler Scholar], a moment that stirred a profound mix of emotions within in,” Manuela recounts.

Manuela meant business once she arrived on campus and declared her major early in her undergraduate journey. As a biomedical engineering student, her passions for medicine and creative problem-solving take center stage. She intends to earn a doctoral degree in biomechanics post-undergrad and eventually bring her expertise back home to Trinidad to educate others. She adds, “I want to teach and inspire students within the domain of biomechanics, particularly in places like Uruguay where educational resources may be limited.”

In addition to her coursework, Manuela is the president of the Biomedical Engineering Society’s campus chapter and serves as vice president of Engineers Without Borders, a student-run organization dedicated to sustainable engineering projects worldwide. These leadership roles have not only expanded Manuela's professional network but have also deepened her understanding of the transformative impact engineering solutions can have on real-world challenges.

She also serves as a teaching assistant across multiple departments on campus. Additionally, Manuela spent two summers as a full-time research assistant at the University’s computational biomechanics lab, working under the mentorship of Rochester professor Dr. Amy Lerner.

“[As a research assistant], I worked in conjunction with radiologists from the Hospital of Special Surgeries. My role involved using software like MeVisLab, Amira, itkSnap and 3DSlicer to analyze MR images and segment anatomical geometries of the knee. Our aim was to develop finite element models and compare subject-specific measurements of the knees.”

Campus leader: Check. Academic scholar: Check. And Sorority sister: Check. The latter was never part of Manuela’s plan. However, after befriending the Gamma Phi teaching assistant in one of her first engineering classes, Manuela knew she had to get involved with the Sorority, too. “Despite going through recruitment later than usual, the warmth, acceptance and genuine love extended by the members of Gamma Phi Beta left an indelible impression on me. Through their unwavering support and encouragement, I discovered a sense of belonging and solidarity that transcended boundaries.”

Manuela is set to graduate in May 2025, and until that joyous day arrives, she intends to continue at full speed ahead. What keeps her going is her biggest cheerleader; the person she looks up to the most: her mom.

“My mom has been nothing short of supportive of me and my decision to move thousands of miles away to pursue my dreams. She makes me a better person. She is both my motivation and biggest inspiration.”

Hilary Russo

ALPHA XI (Southern Methodist) 

A REVERED JOURNALIST

By Annabel Simister (Maryland)

Hilary Russo (Southern Methodist) is a standout figure in the field of journalism with more than 25 years of experience in the media industry. As an award-winning reporter, she has earned a reputation for excellence. Transitioning beyond the realms of journalism, Hilary embarked on a journey into health and wellness, where she now provides wellness coaching and support for individuals navigating trauma and seeking to improve their mental well-being. Alongside her wellness pursuits, she serves as an educator in nutrition, imparting valuable insights into the importance of maintaining a balanced diet for overall wellness, including emotional well-being.

Journalists often face many challenges and must find different ways to overcome them. Hilary, reflecting on her own experience, shares, “As a journalist, we’re considered the forgotten first responders because we’re the ones that are at the scene almost as quickly, if not immediately, after the EMTs.”

Hilary's perspective sheds light on the crucial role journalists play in covering events swiftly and comprehensively. She emphasizes the importance of journalists being on the scene promptly to provide accurate and timely coverage. Furthermore, Hilary delves into the emotional toll that covering traumatic events can take, likening journalists to first responders in experiencing the raw emotions present in such situations. This insight underscores the resilience required in the field of journalism and the need for journalists to navigate and process their emotions effectively.

Beyond journalism, Hilary is a home improvement expert and works on Formica project videos where she shows off her abilities in working on home decor and interior design. Adding on to this, she is also a university professor of mass communications at St. John’s University in New York City and teaches on-camera presentation and broadcasting and announcing, leveraging her extensive professional background to mentor aspiring journalists.

Throughout her teachings, Hilary emphasizes the holistic nature of journalism, highlighting the importance of both on-camera presence and the behind-the-scenes work essential for smooth production. She intricately weaves these principles into her class curriculums, ensuring that her students gain a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process.

How does one woman balance all this (and more)? Repeating her daily mantra, ‘Life is a falling into’ certainly helps.

To learn more about Hilary, visit HilaryRusso.com.