Resilient Wujimu
Founded on April 7th 2017 at DePauw University by seven resilient women with a goal to embody multiculturalism in a medium size liberal arts school in Greencastle Indiana. The journey of establishing Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. started in 2014 where the founding sisters wanted to create and share a space for women on DePauw's campus to feel validated and embraced.
Within the seven founders, there are seven ethnic backgrounds being represented, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, Cambodian, Chinese, Canadian, and Indian, and multiple identities as well. Mu Sigma Upsilon was that safe space that the founders dreamt off. Not only for themselves, but for the future generations of DePauw's women. Wujimu prides in its representation of multiculturalism with currently 16 sisters with 10 different ethnicities including Moroccan, Jamancan, and Honduran. Our alumni sisters stay very active and on to do amazing things in their communities. They are a perfect example of sisterhood in the adult world.
Wujimu Founders
Zelianel Ferrer is the ace and the first founding sister of Wujimu. She is a proud Puerto Rican who migrated to Chicago at the age of two with her beautiful mother. She is part of the class of 2018 at DePauw. She was very involved on campus as a first year mentor for the First-Year Experience program at DePauw University and served as the treasurer for the Wujimu Chapter. Zelianel is currently a community engagement coordinator in Chicago. Fun fact about Zelianel is that she is very family-orientated and loves nothing more on this planet thann her family and the Wujimu sisters.
Ranyerlis Galvez is the second founding sister of Wujimu. She is a proud Afro-Dominicana from Harlem, NYC. She is one of three Wujimu Sisters who graduated in May 2017. Ranyerlis majored in Peace and Conflict Resolution studies with a minor in Women’s Gender and Sexuality studies. During her time as an undergraduate, she was very active in the university. She served as an admission intern, presidential ambassador, and a mentor. Fun fact about Ranyerlis is that she loves bachata and has been dancing various forms of dances for over fifteen years. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Legal Studies via American University and is expected to graduate in December 2021.
Jacqueline Silva is the third founding sister of Wujimu. Jacqueline is a first generation Mexican-American from the south side of Chicago. She is the youngest of the founding sisters, but with a big heart. Jacqueline was part of the graduating class of 2019. She majored in Global Health with a minor in Biology. She is passionate about health justice and immigrant & refugee rights. Fun fact about her is that she loves dogs and enjoys volunteering at PAWS Chicago on the weekends. She chose MSU because she wanted to create and form a part of a welcoming home on DePauw's campus that embraced all individuals regardless of their cultural differences.
Malina Tang is the heart and fourth founding sister of Wujimu. She is Cambodian and Chinese born in Canada. She is proud of all her ethnicities and proudly represents all three. Her mother is her biggest inspiration in life. Malina is one of the three founders who graduated in Spring 2017. Malina majored in Biochemistry and minored in French. While her time at DePauw, she was very involved on campus. She was a dancer as well as an activist part of Oxfam. She currently works in a quality control lab and will be pursuing her masters in nursing. Fun facts about Malina is that she loves to read, dance, loves Kpop music, she speaks 3 languages (English, French and Khmer) and she is a dog mommy! Malina chose MSU because she saw herself represented in their demographic. While reaching out to sisters, she found that she could be wholeheartedly her. She didn’t have to act a certain way or be a certain type of person to feel like she was accepted. DePauws' campus was lacking a space where individuals can be unapologetically human. MSU became the space for her.
Mansi Parekh is the live five of the founding line of Wujimu. Mansi is Indian born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India and moved to Chicago when she was five years old! She is very proud of her Indian culture. She is very family-oriented and loves her dog Leo. She graduated in 2018 majoring in anthropology at DePauw. She was part of the Muslim Student Association, a resident assistant, part of Oxfam, and a mentor. Mansi served as the Public Relations chair for Wujimu. She is currently a Configuration Analyst at a IT/Telecommunication company located on the West Loop of Chicago. Fun fact about Mansi is that she can touch her tongue with nose! She chose MSU because she saw a sisterhood that truly celebrated multiculturalism; she found sisters with similar and different backgrounds. She found a space that allowed her to be her true-self and learn so much about others. She is forever thankful of joining Mu Sigma Upsilon and it will always be a commitment she will always be very proud of.
Staisy Cardenas is the captain and the sixth founding sister of Wujimu. She is a proud-born Mexican. Fun fact about Staisy is that she has a twin and a little sister and loves them more than anything. She was part of the graduating class of 2018 at DePauw and majored in Kinesiology with a minor in French. Staisy was very involved on campus such as a Peer Mentor for the First Year Experience Program and served as the first President for Wujimu. She is starting her Masters of Science in Healthcare Management at Indiana University Bloomington. She hopes to work in an organization that provides and advocates for Women’s reproductive healthcare and rights.
Jacqueline Rueda is the anchor and the seventh founding sister of Wujimu, the lucky 7. Jackie is a proud queer Chicana from Chicago. She takes pride in her Mexican roots and her intersectional identities. She is the third founder who graduated in Spring 2017. She majored in Education studies and minored in Spanish and Latin American and Caribbean studies. She was very active at DePauw. She was a founder for QSOC, a Peer Mentor, an intern for the International and Multicultural student services office and studied abroad. She is a Fulbright Scholar of 2018 in Brazil. Fun fact is that is trilingual (English, Spanish and Portuguese), loves tattoos, loves to travel, and she is very into astrology and spirituality. MSU was a perfect representation of herself. She loved the true sisterhood and how it embodies multiculturalism. From being an only child, to now having a whole sisterhood. She loves the connections she has build with sisters from all over the nation!
Kunshen Line
Kunshen is the first line of Wujimu, crossed Spring 2018
Serena Marie Rodriguez
is the ace of the Kunshen line of Wujimu. Serena is from L.E.S New York City and a proud Dominican. She is a communications major with a minor in sociology. She is part of the class of 2020. She hopes to do marketing or be a PR within the beauty industry. Fun fact about Serena is that her mom was told that Serena would be born on Valentine’s Day, which her mom didn’t believe, and that was the exact day Serena was born so she is a valentine baby and an Aquarius. She wanted to be a sister of MSU because she learned through the founding sisters to be herself and to be fearless. She found a sisterhood that was welcoming of who she was and felt accepted. She wanted to make a home for other powerful women and being an only child, she always felt lonely. Being a sister gave her something she have always wanted, sisters. She has now been blessed with a sisterhood.
Amanda N. Chavez is the number 2 of the Kunshen line. Amanda is Mexican, born and raised in Chicago. She is an anthropology and Spanish double major with a world literature minor. Her career goal is to be a lawyer. A fun fact about her is that she has a very unique way of eating chicken nuggets. Also, the more you get to know her the more you see all of her hidden talents. The reason why she decided to be a Mu was because when she first arrived on campus she had a very difficult time finding where she belonged. She didn’t think she fit anywhere and she was welcomed with open arms by the founding sisters of her chapter. What she loved the most about this group of women and the organization as a whole is that they truly embody multiculturalism. They were all different and embraced each other for it. They cared about her and supported her in being her true self.
Lisa Katerina Luciani
is the captain and the number 3 of the Kunshen line of Wujimu. Lisa is Italian and Moroccan born in Casablanca, Morocco and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She is a Cell and Molecular Biology and French major. Career wise she hopes to be a neuroscience researcher. Fun fact is that last summer she had the chance to intern at a hospital and served in research facilities in Morocco. She was able to be involved in surgeries! She is very grateful for that experience and for all of the medical staff and students. Initially she was not interested in joining greek life at DePauw, but it all changed her second year. She witnessed how much work the founders put into bringing MSU on campus that she built respect and was amazed of how strong and resilient they are. She wanted to surround herself with strong women who never took a no as an answer and who put in work to achieve their goals. Upon joining MSU, she got to meet many strong sisters who are a support system and who encourage her all the time.
Faith Blakey is the number 4 of the Kunshen line of Wujimu. She is Jamaican from Brooklyn, NY (Coney Island). She is part of the class of 2020 at DePauw. She is a Double major in Vocal Performance and Communications. She is interested in Entertainment Law as her future career. Fun fact about Faith is that she can sing classical opera! MSU accepted her for all her quirks, and its mission spoke to her heart. MSU helped her build a path towards her career goal to give a voice to the underrepresented!
Sandra Antonieta Laserna Cowal is the number 5 of the Kunshen line of Wujimu. She is Mexican and has lived in over ten cities and hopes to make Chicago her new home. She is part of the class of 2020. Sandra is a Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is also a Doula, birth worker, aspiring community healer and looking forward to going graduate school in the future. Fun fact is that she is interested in languages. She knows Spanish, English, French and is now learning Portuguese! She is also very crafty! She identifies with Gloria Anzaldua’s Mestiza Consciousness; she was raised bicultural and constantly straddling the borders of her life. She sought an environment that would allow her to be the fluid being that she is. MSU is just that. It is an organization that strives to nourish the complexities of every woman. Seeing how important it was for this organization to foster a grounded multiculturalism, where every culture is respected and exalted, inspired her to add her own granito de arena to this beautiful sisterhood.
Aleysha Ward is the number 6 and tail of the Kunshen line of Wujimu. She is from Harlem, New York. She is African and Honduran. She is a Communication and Chinese Studies major and part of the 2020 graduating class. She hopes to be a teacher. A fun fact about Aleysha is that she used to play the clarinet!! She chose this bluetiful organization because when she first started looking into Greek life she didn’t find a home for herself. She didn’t fit into the categories of a predominately black org or a predominantly Latina org either. When MSU came on campus, she loved the representation of multiculturalism. She didn’t have to be anyone but herself to be a part of this bluetiful organization and she also wanted other womxn who looks like her to see that they don’t have to identify as one thing solely to fit in. She strongly stands for what this organization represents and for embracing all women of all identities.
Pantao Line
Pantao is the second line of Wujimu, crossed Spring 2020
Kimberly Bello-Rosas is the ace of the Pantao line of Wujimu. She is Mexican from Chicago, IL. Kimberly is a Psychology major. She will be pursuing a career in criminal psychology. Fun fact about Kimberly is that she dyed her hair for the first time in 3rd grade. She got purple highlights. She joined MSU because during her freshman year, the undergrads became her safe space on campus and made her feel like she had a voice and that she mattered on campus as a minority. Looking into the organization, she found herself resonate with the philanthropy and what MSU stands for. On top of that, she didn’t realize how much she wanted to be apart of a sisterhood because she grew up as the youngest and didn’t have any sisters. Therefore, witnessing the sisterhood on campus first hand, she truly admired everything about it and knew that it was something she wanted to be a part of.
Michelle Figueroa is the deuce of the Pantao line of Wujimu. She is a proud Mexicana born and raised in Chicago, IL. Fun fact about Michelle is that she has a dog named Dog! She is a double major in political science and psychology with a minor in Spanish. She aspires to become an immigration attorney working with undocumented families primarily to provide legal representation in court proceedings pro bono. She joined MSU because of the philanthropy, the group of diverse women who supported and empowered one another and lastly, the skills that MSU provides for each sister in order to make positive changes in this world.
Laura Giselle Alejandre is the number 3 and anchor of the Pantao line of Wujimu. She is Mexican from Chicago, IL. Laura is a double major in global health and communications with a minor in Spanish. She wants to Work with a non-profit organization in the future. Fun fact about Laura is that she has traveled to 6+ countries and has been dancing since she started walking. During her first year at DePauw, she had a really bad transition from always being home with family to being independent in college. Her self-love disappeared and she reached a low point in her life. One of the first group of people that welcomed her with open arms were the sisters MSU on campus. Once she learned more about the organization she fell in love with it. She related to the philanthropy and loved the fact that it changes every 5 years. She loves how MSU represents multiculturalism and how it is the first multicultural sorority in the nation. MSU helped her with her confidence, self-love, and growth while creating beautiful bonds with amazing women that she can now call sisters.
