From pop stars to activists to family members, the women who inspire Mount students today extend far beyond the pages of history books.
During Women’s History Month, students reflected on the figures who have influenced their lives most, pointing not only to well-known public figures but also to women in their own communities. Together, their responses reveal that modern inspiration takes many forms, rooted in resilience, creativity, and personal connection.
Taylor Swift 
One woman is not just an icon to people around the world but also Mount students. Taylor Swift is a global sensation whose songwriting and entrepreneurship are known everywhere. Quinn Gorniak ‘28 is one Mount student who is inspired by how Swift “built herself wealth”. From starting in Reading, Pennsylvania, she now has amassed a wealth of over $2 billion, which makes her the richest female artist in the world.
Quinn is also impacted by Swift’s confidence and expressing, “I want to be confident like she is.” Swift had a two year tour where she is still known for her elaborate sets and stunning dresses where she constantly put herself out there on tour. Swift is a prime example of confidence and influences women everywhere, like Quinn, how to let yourself shine.
Malala Yousafzai
In addition, figures like Taylor Swift work through art and storytelling, others are influenced by advocacy and activism from individuals like Malala Yousafzai. Yousafzai is known for her work in the fight for female education and boldly speaking out even when she was silenced.
Maeve Ruibal ‘28 is inspired by Yousafzai’s rebound after receiving a bullet in the face, describing, “[She] was then shot in the head for it [rallying for women’s rights], and then came back, got a degree from Oxford, and she was the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner ever.” Instead of letting fear overcome her, Yousafzai persevered and came back even stronger.
She spoke at the United Nations, calling for children’s right to education, even having a day commemorated in her name because of her speech. Eventually, Yousafzai attended Oxford University, all while visiting war-torn and discriminatory countries to continue the fight for children’s education.
Maeve describes perfectly that even when school is difficult, and we want to give up, we have to remember people like Malala who fought so hard for our right to education. “[When] you’re at school, and you see all your homework, and you have all your tests, and you’re like, oh, I hate school. I just want to go home and sleep all day. Then you see someone like her who was denied the right to education and fought so hard for it. And then you’re like, wait, I’m so fortunate that I get to have such a good education.”
Alysa Liu
Activism on a large scale is not the sole source for inspiration. Some, like Julia Terkhorn ‘29, find inspiration from people closer to their own age, like 20 year old Alysa Liu. Alysa Liu has reshaped the atmosphere around the mindset of sports. Liu has shown the world how being an athlete does not mean sacrificing the love of your sport just to win titles.
Skating since she was five years old, she found that the intense training and strict regimen caused her to fall out of love with the sport and ultimately take a two-year hiatus. Liu decided to come back and set her own terms for her career. At the Milano Cortina, Liu won an Olympic gold medal in the Women’s Free Skate, marking the first time in 24 years that an American woman has won in that category.
Alysa Liu’s ability to “do what you love and have fun” speaks to Julia. She describes how Liu’s ability to know when to step back resonates with her, and the fact she came back not to win but to have fun. Julia relays how Liu taught her that, “You don’t need to push yourself to do more.” Liu conveys that, as athletes, it is important not to push yourself too hard, to the point of not loving your sport. Julia finds impact from how Liu shows her to “have fun with what you’re doing.”
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel has the spotlight on big stages like Broadway in prominent characters such as Elphaba in “Wicked.” Her commanding stage presence is the reason she is known as the “Queen of Broadway”.
From starting as a bar mitzvah singer, she won her first Tony for her performance as Elphaba on Broadway’s “Wicked.” She is also a proud advocate for the arts and was even recognized by Joe Biden in 2022. Menzel is a representation for many aspiring actresses, like our own, Guilianna Masucci ‘29, because of her empowering female portrayals.
Guilianna describes how Menzel’s roles exhibit that “just because you’re different doesn’t mean you can’t make a change.” Menzel pushes this ideology through her foundation, A BroaderWay. Through her foundation, she hopes to encourage young women through the arts. Guilianna also shares that Menzel taught her, “It’s better to be your authentic self than to fit in with everyone else,” which she still holds dear today.
Our Grandmothers
While some admire famous public icons, some find meaningful lessons from women who are not so public. Although Ally Demeter ‘26 has a source of example closer to home, her grandmother, Joanne Antrim.
Grandmothers are a source of love and wisdom, and where we can learn some of life’s greatest lessons. Ally describes how her grandmother is “her rock” and her “role model for my entire life”. Her grandmother’s work ethic influences how Ally goes about school and life in general.
Ally describes her grandmother as “my role model for everything in my entire life,” demonstrating how strong the love of family truly is.
As Mount students explain, inspiration is not gained by how famous someone is, but by the amount of impact you contribute to the people around you. It can be from a global scale like Taylor Swift who inspires by her example of perseverance or Alysa Liu who leads the redefining of sports as we know it. Most importantly, we remember our icons do not have to be from people on TV.
Women’s History Month is a time to remember all of our female idols, especially the ones who we know personally in our own day-to-day lives.
