Siena Rampulla is a senior student here at Rowan University, originally from Holmdel, NJ (Monmouth County). Siena is a Psychology major, with an honors concentration and a minor in Journalism.
When asked to share more about her major, Siena explained she originally planned to go on the pre-med track, which was a long-term dream of hers. However, she had an epiphany while studying for her MCAT exam that this route may not be the calling that feeds her soul, and after a break-in at her house last semester she decided she wanted to dedicate time to developing a product to help keep women safe.
Since then, Siena has developed a safety device called PULLA Tracker, which aims to keep college-aged women safe. With its app of the same name currently in development, Siena is looking for students to do a focus group for what she describes as her “intersectional approach,” to make sure minorities and underrepresented groups like LGBTQIA+, Black, Asian and Indigenous women can share with her what makes them feel safe, from their perspectives.
Throughout some different programs offered at Rowan, Siena and PULLA Tracker were both able to flourish immensely, Siena gushed about the entrepreneurship sector of Rowan and how welcoming it’s been to her even though she’s remained outside the major.
She participated in the Rowan Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship’s summer accelerator program, AccelerateRU back in early September, where she shared she attended bi-weekly Zoom meetings that gave her so much insight on how to expand her own startup through an entrepreneurial lens. She also shared that she took part in the Venture Expo and even though she didn’t make the finals Siena expressed, “As one door closes another door opens.”
Outside of her business endeavors, Siena is involved on campus in many ways. She’s a part of the sorority Sigma Delta Tau also known as SDT, a member of the CEO Club, and has spent time as an anchor for the Rowan Television Network. Siena expressed that the Rowan Television Network has been one of the most meaningful parts of her time here at Rowan because it gave her an outlet to express her passion for Journalism. She also made a note to give the nod to the CEO Club and SDT as well, stating that the CEO Club has helped her make massive efforts in regard to her career and that the sisters of SDT have been her biggest cheerleaders when it comes to the PULLA tracker, adding that even Rowan alumni who were a part of the Greek organization reached out to her when they heard of the massive waves she was making with the product.
When asked what her biggest accomplishment has been during her time here at Rowan University, Sienna didn’t even hesitate when she answered with the New Venture Expo, where she won Best in Show last year.
As she gushed about the achievement she expressed that this win allowed her to put “hope back in herself” during a time of slight doubt. She went on to add, “when you make a product, you throw it out into the world and hope that they catch it.”
Peering back on her time here at Rowan, Siena used one word to describe her experience, “amazing,” and gave Rowan a 10/10 rating. She went on to describe her time doing online classes when COVID-19 was at its peak, stating that Rowan “did the best they could.” Now back and fully in person, Siena was able to study abroad for the Fall 2022 semester in Florence, Italy at the Florence University of the Arts, where she got to take four courses that placed her closer to her degree.
As PULLA Tracker continues to expand, Siena gears up to toss her cap in the air at the end of this Spring, and she has so much more in store as her chapter here at Rowan University comes to a close.
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Story by:
Asiya Robinson, junior writing arts major
Photos by:
Joseph Conte, junior community and environmental planning major
Siena Rampulla
