Trant said she was walking home on an unusually hot day in November. She began thinking about global warming and why the population is growing so fast.
Trant said she thought about how girls in third world countries don’t get to have the same education as those in the United States do, and they often end up having children at a very young age.
“I started thinking about how I could change that,” Trant said. “I could probably take something that I am really good at and do something to make a difference.”
It’s been more than a month since Trant had the idea to sell her hand-designed tumbler mugs and donate the proceeds to the organization Let Girls Learn. She began selling her mugs on Instagram before deciding to open a shop on Etsy two weeks ago. Trant said her business, Tumbl{HERS}, has received more than 20 orders since she opened shop on Etsy.
Smith said she wasn’t surprised at all when Trant came to her with the idea to start Tumbl{HERS}.
“She has always been really ambitious and eager to start something fun and make meaning of it,” Smith said.
Trant’s goal for the end of 2015 is to make at least one donation to Let Girls Learn in the name of Tumbl{HERS}.
She said she found out about Let Girls Learn through her role model, actress Sophia Bush. According to its website, Let Girls Learn is a White House-funded initiative that works to give girls around the world the opportunity to have an education.
“Finding out that there are girls that don’t get to go to school because of their gender or beliefs is appalling,” Trant said. “I don’t think we, in the United States, realize that as much as we should.”
Trant said she has always loved school and now that she is getting a higher education she knows she can support herself.
“I think because she has such a focus on her education and values it, she wants that for anyone across the world,” Smith said.
Trant said giving girls the opportunity to have an education and become self-sufficient is the biggest gift in world.
“My life goal for Tumbl{HERS} is to make a visual impact,” Trant said. “I feel like the best time to do anything is right when you think of it, so I just want to see how far it goes.”
Trant, a finance major, said this has been a great experience in gaining business knowledge while also contributing to an international organization that helps girls around the world.
This past week, Trant bought a machine to help put her designs on the mugs in a more efficient and durable way. Her Etsy store, tumblHERS, is currently on vacation mode, but Trant expects her shop to be back in business by Dec. 19. Her tumblers can be purchased for $22 each.
Trant said she believes if one woman can make a difference for another woman around the world, then she can start a chain reaction of positive actions.
“Just because you are a college student doesn’t mean you are too young to have a career,” Trant said. “And to everyone else, use your strengths to benefit others.”
