Kiara Ramirez, a sophomore majoring in psychology and health science with a minor in creative writing, has stepped into a leadership role as the Student CEO of Saxbys café for the Spring 2025 semester. Alongside this responsibility, she has already gained experience as a student worker in Phillips Library, event coordinator for AMP (Student Activities and Association for Mount Programming), and the owner of a nail art business, Cutesy.nails.byki.
Ramirez’s semester as Student CEO has already presented her with challenges she has fought to overcome. As she started her first week in the role, the café faced issues with Wi-Fi, a shortage of staff during busy periods, and a canceled supplier order, leaving the team scrambling to keep things running smoothly. In conquering these problems, a quote she had heard from her mother, “You can do hard things,” kept running through her mind throughout the week. While simple, the phrase became a motto for Ramirez, helping her stay focused as she guided her team through the obstacles. Clear communication and teamwork helped the Saxbys staff to push through, ensuring the café operated as well as possible.
Ramirez considers the most rewarding part of her new role to be “the opportunity to work closely with the team.” Despite facing tough situations, Ramirez has worked on creating a supportive and positive work environment. One memorable moment occurred when she and the previous Student CEO, Yavier Caribe, had a spontaneous dance break to lift their spirits after a long shift. Ramirez cherishes these small moments that help create a strong sense of community within the team.
Beyond her work at Saxbys, Ramirez’s passion for creative writing shines through her poetry. She has won multiple competitions and served as a poet laureate ambassador, using writing as a way to express herself and reflect on her experiences. She also continues to grow her nail art business, balancing creativity with her academic and leadership commitments.
As Ramirez moves through the semester, she’s excited to continue learning and growing in her role as Student CEO. The challenges she’s faced so far, with more surely to come, have helped her develop leadership skills that will serve her well in the future. She is determined to make the most of her time at Mount, both in her academic pursuits and her entrepreneurial endeavors.