Acumen reporters and photographers of this issue share their favorite female role models

“I’m not necessarily a guy who has a lot of female role models, but one woman who I really enjoy is Ellen DeGeneres. She is a fantastic comedian and a great person, as well as an individual who doesn’t try to be anyone but herself. And who could ever forget her role as Dori in Finding Nemo?”
By senior Andrew Browning, reporter

“A woman in history I admire is Queen Elizabeth I of England. She’s recognized for pretty much single-handedly ruling a country without a husband in a time when women were regarded as naturally inferior to men and I think that deserves respect.”
By sophomore Caroline Zhang, reporter

“Although she’s not a real person, Lisa Simpson has always been one of my favorite role models. She’s bright, witty and always has a good attitude, even when things go south. On top of that, she always stands out from the crowd with her crazy hairdo.”
By senior Nick Johnson, photographer

“Serving through the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale, ‘The Lady With the Lamp,’ ensured that all the sick and wounded were nursed back to good health in civilized conditions.  Florence Nightingale set a precedence for modernized nursing, and even from her sickbed, she advised governments on army reform, sanitation and hospital design.”
By junior Shokhi Goel, photographer

“Maybe I’m just biased because I was named after her, but Shirley Temple is definitely a woman role model I look up to. Not only was she one of the most successful child actresses in her time, but she also left her legacy with those cute ‘Shirley Temple Curls’ and that adorable pug nose. And who could resist those dimples?”
By senior Shirley Chen, photographer

“I believe Marie Curie is an influential person in history. The only one to win two Nobel prizes in two science fields, physics and chemistry, Curie was the first to discover the theory of radioactivity. Because of her invaluable contributions in the sciences, Curie should be a female role model for aspiring woman scientists across the world.”
By sophomore Monica Cheng, reporter

PHOTOS / ARJUNA CAPULONG