Jennifer Belcastro, '97 BA

My Sun Devil journey started with a newfound independence for the first time in my life, and was ripe for so many adventurous experiences, global travel, and lifelong friendships, to say the least. From a cultural anthropology field school in Mexico and archaeology in the Middle East, to hands?on research and professors who pushed me to think critically, ask big questions, and fight harder for truth, ASU gave me grit, curiosity, and the courage to face challenges head?on. Those lessons became the heart of my somewhat unconventional life and one of my mottos: "Not all who wander are lost." I share those experiences in my recently published memoir, Even Strong Girls Cry: How My Solo War Against Cancer, Covid & Political Corruption Saved My Life - a story about resilience, justice, and rising for my daughter when the world felt stacked against us.

The same passion and insatiable curiosity I found at ASU - in the desert, in the labs, in the field, and in the classroom - carried me through some of the hardest battles of my life. Writing my book became a way to ensure that courage in the face of adversity lived on, and to share the single most important message that came from my own lived experience: you have way more power over your life than you may believe. I'm proud to share it with the Sun Devil community that helped shape the woman I became. Once a Sun Devil, always a Sun Devil - and I'm excited to bring my story of courage and truth back home.