Isabelle Hardesty | Photo Submitted by Isabelle Hardesty
Isabelle Hardesty is majoring in international business with a certification in business analytics at Raj Soin College of Business. Hardesty is involved with multiple organizations on campus and is currently President of the Asian Student Association (ASA) and for Advocates for Cultural diversity and Excellence (ACE).
Joining Wright State University (WSU)
Hardesty decided to join WSU after moving junior year of high school. Hardesty is from a military-based family with her father working in the United States Marine Corps. Because of this, Hardesty was inclined to join WSU since the Air Force Base is relatively close to campus. Hardesty receives the military benefits of the retired ID so all of their healthcare would be taken care of on base.
According to Hardesty, their experiences of traveling the world at a young age and seeing different cultures has helped them to look at life differently.
“I was always moving around and I’ve met so many differently opinionated people from different walks of life and that has changed my perspective. I try to have a positive outlook on the world,” said Hardesty.
Hardesty is currently a general member of the CJ McLin Scholars group, President of ASA, as well as the President for ACE and the chair for the Latinx, Asian and Native American Center (LANA).
Organizations
Hardesty first got involved with these organizations because they felt out of place in their dorm rooms the first year and went to LANA to see if they could make connections.
After meeting the President of ASA, Hardesty participated in general meetings and would later join as a secretary after going to the Midwestern Asian American Student Union (MAASU), a yearly conference where individuals talk about crucial conversations involving the Asian American community.
When Hardesty started their sophomore year at WSU, they first heard about ACE.
“One of my advisors told me that there was a girl trying to start an Asian Interest sorority group and it piqued my interest because I was interested in sorority life but felt like I wouldn’t fit in with the other groups,” said Hardesty.
According to Hardesty, the original person who wanted to create ACE stepped down and Hardesty became President and then became a Residential Assistant on campus.
“I’ve met so many people here at Wright State that have furthered my growth as a leader and as a student. It definitely had a big impact on who I am today,” said Hardesty.
Plans for the future
Hardesty hopes to have a job dealing with management or leadership after graduating in the fall semester of 2021.
“I hope I can use what I have learned here to influence others and change what needs to be changed from negatives to positives. Even if it’s a small thing, I feel like that’s enough,” said Hardesty.
