Who’s That Kid? It’s Erin Biggins, FCRH ’17

Erin looks to make the most out of opportunities at Fordham and make a difference. COURTESY OF ERIN BIGGINS

Erin looks to make the most out of opportunities at Fordham and make a difference. Courtesy of Erin Biggins

By Drew Casey

The definition of “involved” in the dictionary should read “Erin Biggins, FCRH ’17.”

The Elizabeth, New Jersey native is one of the most active students on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus and is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree, majoring in communication and media studies.

She is a member of Global Outreach’s (GO!) executive board, coordinates GO!’s Midnight Run program, is on the Pedro Arrupe Leadership Council and even holds a general board position on Campus Activities Board (CAB). Erin has also laid the groundwork for a Special Olympics club at Fordham and was recently named a finalist in Fordham’s Social Innovation Challenge.

When asked about her level of involvement, Erin said that getting involved is something that she learned to do in high school to get the most out of her education.

“Part of the reason why I do what I do is because I absolutely love Fordham,” Erin said. “This is my happy place. This is my home. This is where I can truly be myself and really take initiative and do things that I really enjoy doing.”

While Erin admitted that she overextends herself, she also mentioned that her work always brings out her smile.

“I’ve always found a great connection with the people I’m working with,” Erin said. “I’ve found that I’m happy doing what I’m doing.”

GO! Coordinator at Rose Hill Emily Wilant recognized the same quality when asked about Biggins.

“Within a minute of talking to Erin, you would automatically notice how happy she is,” Wilant said. “She’s a very positive person, and I really think that is very altruistic and it does, I think, drive what she does and why she gets involved.”

Of all that she does, GO! is dearest to the marketing minor’s heart. She attributes her involvement with the organization as one of the biggest things that has ever happened to her.

“It’s one of the most cherished aspects of my Fordham life that I absolutely love,” Erin said. “It’s never a chore. It’s always something that I really love. It’s probably what really got me into loving Fordham.”

Aside from serving on the GO! board and as a Midnight Run coordinator, the sophomore has gone on GO! Ecuador and will travel to South Africa this summer as part of GO! Cape Town.

Judging from all the activities that she participates in, one might wonder if Erin finds time to sleep. Her close friends, Amanda Maile and Gabrielle McGovern, both FCRH ’17, do not believe that she ever snoozes, but Erin promises that she does.

“I get just enough sleep to get me going,” she said. “My logic is that if I’m awake, there’s always something I could do to keep myself busy.”

Fellow GO! board member Danny Finnegan, FCRH ’15, praised this quality and Biggins’ high level of commitment to all that she does.

“On the surface, she appears as a bubbly person, but she’s incredibly driven, incredibly involved,” Danny said. “She really gives a lot of herself to things that she participates in.”

While her future is not set, she believes that her current involvement will continue to set the framework for success.

“What I do here is an inclination of what I envision myself doing for a career,” Erin said. “It [my career] has to have some underlying meaning of the motive of helping people, and me being a positive force to do that.”

Biggins is considering joining the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) or a similar organization after graduating and also plans to start her own foundation.

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