Whether she’s representing the student body in Student Senate, welcoming in first-years as a Greeter, making people laugh through Line-Us, or exercising her passion for political science in the College Democrats, Junior Delaney Sweet brings her passion and enthusiasm everywhere she goes.
“Delaney works so hard for this campus. Her involvement and her attitude make her a stand out member of this community and I am so excited that she is getting recognized for everything that she does for Gustavus and its students,” Junior Jessie Self said.
As a member of Gustie Greeters, Student Senate, Theta Xi Gamma sorority, Gustavus Ambassadors, a writer for the Fourth Crown, business manager for Line-Us, and an Admissions Office employee, Delaney’s accolades leave no room to doubt her impressive involvement in the Gustavus community.
“If I had to give one word to describe her involvement in the Gustavus community I would say ‘active.’ The girl is always going. She cares about this community and the people in it. Whether she is heading up a committee or working behind the scenes, she gives her best,” Senior Mari Aune said.
Her exceptional work ethic isn’t the only quality that makes Delaney stand out. It’s obvious when speaking with anyone who knows Delaney that her personality is just as remarkable as her work ethic.
“When I think about her personality, I smile right away. I think that says a lot about Delaney’s effect on people. She is very extroverted and humorous but it’s paired with this beautiful down-to-earth heart. Delaney is able to be who she is without ever second-guessing herself. She can be silly, serious, caring, and you know no matter what side of her you are getting, it is 100 percent her. By doing this, she creates a space that allows for others to do the same,” Junior Mia Cannon said.
But Delaney says that the ability to be herself hasn’t always been easy to grasp. During her first year she had dedicated most of her time to the Varsity Tennis team. It wasn’t until after she quit and joined other organizations that she really felt like herself.
“For awhile, I tried to mesh myself into Gustavus instead of using the skills I had to be myself. Once I realized that Gustavus picked me for me and I didn’t need to change or try to be something I wasn’t, I was so much happier and have been happier ever since,” Delaney said.
She opened up her time to explore other things and learned to be herself. Delaney said she really found her niche within the Gustavus community and was able to spend more time pursuing her passion for politics.
“I’ve been so lucky in my education. I went to the best prep school in Omaha and now Gustavus. I’ve been so blessed. But two years ago, during an internship in Washington D.C. with a non-profit Catholic school, I realized that other kids are not that fortunate. DC has the worst education system in the entire U.S. and I’m just astounded by this. Education and what kids learn in schools is the basis of the rest of their lives. It should be a right, not a privilege,” Delaney said.
Delaney’s current game plan for the future is first and foremost to work on Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2016. But after that she hopes to attend law school and eventually open a non-profit school for girls in the Middle East. While she’s excited for future experiences, Delaney says that her biggest focus right now is making the best of the time she has left at Gustavus with the people she’s come to love, people who’ve all come to love and appreciate her.
“It’s impossible not to smile around Delaney. She puts her energy into other people and it’s contagious. She genuinely cares about issues affecting us and I think it’s really important to have passionate people like her at this school because she has the power to make a difference. I am absolutely certain that Delaney Sweet is going to do big things in her life and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her,” Self said.
-Jaurdyn Dobler
