In honor of Women’s History Month, girls at Nicholls share their personal picks of strong and inspirational women who have made an impact on their lives.

“My grandmother has inspired me,” said Brittany Torgrimson, a junior in mass communication. “There’s always those people who talk you down and back into reality, you know? But she was never one of them. I guess that’s why I have the cloud 9 perspective about everything. If you believe in doing something, she makes you go all the way, and go hard core.”

“It’s so crazy, I used to look up to Britney Spears,” said Erica Johnson, a public relations senior, “but that’s when I was little.” Johnson said now, she’s inspired by her mother, whom she credits for her own strong work ethic and her fourth grade teacher who helped to set her on the right path when she was younger.

“Audrey Hepburn is my idol, though,” said Johnson. “She was so graceful. I feel like every woman should have a bit of her in them, as far as elegance with the way they move and speak and how they carry themselves.”

Johnneka West, a pre-clinical laboratory science sophomore, recognizes Oprah, Haley Berry, Monique and Madame C.J. Walker as some of the women who have made great strides in their lives and inspire her.

“Also my mother,” said West. “And I’ve got a lot of sisters and aunts who are all nurses.”

“I’m inspired by my mom,” said Victoria Chauvin, a junior in psychology. “She always taught me to never give up.”

Harmony Hamilton, a mass communication senior, said her mother who raised their family as a single parent motivates her.

“I’m in college,” said Hamilton, “and I always have doubts about stuff like getting a job and making it. But seeing how she did it with no college degree, I don’t think I’m going to fail so much when I graduate. She’s a motivation for me because I know no matter what I end up doing in life, I know I’ll make it.”

Jennifer Richard, a psycology sophomore, said she’s most inspired by the women who don’t expect any sort of recognition or return for what they’ve done, like Mother Theresa. More personally, she draws inspiration from her friend in the Lafourche Sheriff’s Department who started the Victims Advocacy Program.

“I just look at people like that and they inspire me to want to do better than myself,” said Richard, “to make my own path in the world and to do what’s right for me, not for what anybody else says. You really don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring, but you have to know who you are so you can keep going, whether you’re in a crowd of people who agree with you or not.”

”We have our benefits and we have our setbacks,” said Torgrimson, “but I think any woman that promotes going all out and doing the work it takes to become successful at what they do; that’s what makes a successful woman in history.”