Photo Courtesy of Sports Information
By Ted Wolfe, Staff Writer
Elizabeth Herestofa is a senior volleyball player at Susquehanna, and her whole life was thrown for a loop when COVID-19 changed our world.
Herestofa is a philosophy major with a minor in Africana studies, and is from Glen Mills, Pa.
She chose Susquehanna when she realized it was the place for her after her tour. She loves the small but close-knit community, and the ability to become close with your professors.
On the volleyball team, Herestofa is the libero, a defensive specialist who wears a different colored shirt compared to the rest of her teammates. The role of the libero is to be a free sub that doesn’t count towards the 15-sub maximum per set, and spends their time digging, passing and serving to their teammates.
Herestofa’s favorite memory at Susquehanna is all the friends she made with her teammates on the volleyball team. “We’ve grown so close that they’ve become my family and support system,” Herestofa said about her teammates.
However, she did have a favorite memory from playing at Susquehanna. She talked about how amazing she felt after Susquehanna beat Juniata. “It seemed like an unconquerable feat and being able to conquer along with my favorite people was an unforgettable moment.” Herestofa said she felt so fulfilled and happy after that win, and she will never forget it.
The COVID-19 pandemic turned Herestofa’s plans upside down. She decided to take a semester off and live with her sister in Boise, Ind. because she did not expect life at Susquehanna to be the same during the pandemic. She is still searching for answers, like many of us are, on what to do next. She currently has an internship with the Borgen Project and works at a coffee shop. COVID-19 has taught Herestofa that timelines are arbitrary, and to slow down and look for what inspires her.
After college, Herestofa wants to push for better policy regarding poverty and work with her community more. She wants to advocate for change to the governing systems and see it through until many changes are made.
Herestofa offers advice to all those at Susquehanna, whether they be first-years or seniors, “Take the time to enjoy the insulated reality of Susquehanna. You live with your friends, have incredible professors and mentors, and an endless wealth of people to help guide you through to the end. I wish I could start over and take advantage of all those aspects more than I had.”