Julie Slama is Nebraska's youngest female state senator. Senator Slama is a Southeast Nebraska native from Peru. She graduated from Auburn High School, was accepted into Yale, and has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Senator Slama is now balancing studying law at UNL Law School and being a Nebraska Senator. Slama has also been on the popular show “Wheel of Fortune,” where she won a trip to Hawaii.
Senator Slama is no stranger to Girls State. She attended Girls State and Girls Nation and last year was a counselor for Girls State. During her time attending Girls State, she ran for Governor. Unfortunately, she did not get the position. Slama then put her name in the run for Girl’s Nation. She was one of the two delegates selected to represent Nebraska in Washington D.C. Girls Nation opened Senator Slama's eyes; she was making friends with high energy and very driven girls from across the country who had no limits.When she was there, she shook President Obama’s hand. About this experience, Slama said, “It is one of the most incredible feelings ever”.
Senator Slama is a first generation four-year college attendee, as both of her parents went to and graduated from SCC. She always planned to go to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, but there was a feeling telling her that she could reach for more. She knew that she could give other kids hope that they too could apply to go to an elite school. Not knowing what her outcome would be, she applied to Yale University and to her surprise she was accepted.
Senator Slama faced setbacks while at school. The majority of students there had been to competitive schools and were prepared for the coursework, but she said she had never studied in her life. Getting some of the worst grades she had ever gotten by the end of the first semester, she felt like she had let everybody down. Then deciding to work as hard as she could in school no matter what, she ended up graduating Yale with honors in three and a half years.
After thinking about it for sometime, Senator Slama put in the application that led to her Senator position. A day before Christmas, the Governor gave Slama a call that she can never forget, asking if she wanted to be a State Senator for her home district.
She has introduced five bills and four of them have passed. She has earned respect from her colleagues including a senator from western Nebraska who has given her a nickname “Tiger.” She thinks that is the coolest thing in the world. She did not earn the respect by acting like a 22 year-old; she earned it by acting like a Senator.
Senator Julie Slama has had a unique story to her successes. Slama came from rural part of Nebraska and wanted to make her community proud. She did not let her minor setbacks hold her back; instead she used it to better herself and her successful career.
No comments:
Post a Comment