Mara Silvers graduated from Helena High School in Helena, Montana. She was captain of the varsity tennis team, vice president of Ambiance Choir and a member of the Student Council and the Gay Straight Alliance. As a Planned Parenthood Teen Council Member, Mara testified at public hearings and at the 2011 State Legislature in opposition of House Bill 456 and drafted a letter to the school board in support of a new health curriculum. She was the student representative for both the Helena Board of Trustees and the Helena Education Foundation, where she encouraged teachers to apply for grants that would allow students to engage in service learning. Mara also acted and mentored young children at Grandstreet Theater.

SU Experience

At Seattle University, Mara is a Humanities for Leadership Studies major, specializing in Gender and Society, and double minoring in Digital Media Production and Sociology. Since enrolling at SU, she has done a NOLS Backpacking course in Scandinavia and conducted student research projects in both Bosnia-Herzegovina and Jordan. While spending a semester in Jordan, she took intensive Arabic classes and would like to continue studying Arabic in the years to come. She is co-editor of The Catalyst Social Justice Publication and a trip leader for Outdoor Adventure and Recreation program. This quarter, she is an Editorial Intern with Seattle Weekly newspaper. The Sullivan program has allowed her to take travel and work opportunities that taught crucial lessons. Beyond the finances, however, she has also been gifted with rich dialogue, a community that pushes her to grow, and mentors that help shape her future.