Valerie Seippel

Student

“Project Heavy West really inspires kids. It puts them in touch with people who can say, ‘Hey, we came from tough areas, too. But now look at what we’re doing.’”

For Valerie Seippel, ambition is just a necessary tool to use in making a better world. “I plan to be the head of the National Endowment for the Arts and also to run for Congress some day. The U.S. is in a terrible state,” says Valerie, “and I think the future calls for leaders who will be more than politicians. They’ll be state people from varied careers who will truly stay in touch with the people.” As an SMC Summer Intern, Valerie got some valuable lessons in “staying in touch” and using the arts to inspire young people to believe in their right to reach for more.

“I was involved at Project Heavy West in helping kids with conflict resolution in a drama group,” says Valerie, who was a child actress on Romper Room. “Most of these kids had problems in real life: racism, gangs, and unstable homes. Through drama, we helped them express their viewpoints. And this one kid did a wonderful monologue where he said, ‘Hey! Don’t judge me by where I come from! Judge me for what I’m trying to do with my life.’ And that guy is now studying at SMC.”

Valerie says that her memories of the devoted people at Project Heavy West will stay with her as she prepares for her career in government. “There were wonderful and most amazing people on the staff there,” she says. “At a typical government agency you find people who are so, ‘Next. Next. Next. Get out of my face!’ But the Heavy West staff is really committed and inspiring to people. They’re really changing what I would call the juvenile criminal justice system.” And Valerie also feels gratitude for the campus that made her internship possible. “SMC is a school where you can come from any background—anywhere in the world—and find a group of people with interests like yours to work with. It makes it easy to feel encouraged about really being able to make a difference.”

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