The Basics
Spiraling in from Waukee, Iowa, is 21-year-old Serenity Lo. Yes, you have read that correctly. Spiraling. She entered Drake University in the Fall of 2021, only sure that she wanted to write. She then discovered her love for design, which led her to pursue a degree in multimedia journalism, with a double major in international relations.
Currently, she is the communications intern for the Central Iowa Workforce Development Board, putting together newsletters, website mock-ups, interviews, and more. She hopes to find more pathways to better her communication skills and help create a more informed public.
Interests
Serenity’s interests are vast and varied. From coding and programming to playing piano, from teaching and tutoring to digital art, there is little that she dares not try. She loves learning and never hesitates to learn something new. Though if asked, she much more enjoys talking about others than she does herself.
Currently, she knows roughly eight languages, though only four of those she is fluent in; the rest she speaks at a proficient level. Those languages include:
- Thai
- Lao
- Taidam
- Vietnamese
- Mandarin Chinese
- Korean
- French
- German
If she is being honest, she learned a few of these out of spite. After being bullied for being an English language learner, continuously racially stereotyped and met with xenophobia, she dedicated much of her time to learning more languages. Now, she is able to use her abilities to better understand others and create a more level field when it comes to communication.
When she’s not doing so, she is either doing work for the Central Iowa Workforce Development Board or managing a pho restaurant in Waukee. She loves doing both and enjoys the challenges that they provide.
Personal Life
Serenity is the oldest daughter of Lao and Vietnamese refugees. She has three younger sisters: Alesandria (19), Peyton (11) and Grace (5), with whom she enjoys spending time with and caring for. Their dog, Tiger (13), is the only son and is well loved. Her family plays a large part in her motivation to keep doing what she loves.
Hopefully, in 2026, her wedding plans follow through, as she has been ready to say, “I do,” since the day the ring slipped onto her finger. Her fiancé, Ariel, is as excited as he is anxiety-ridden.
Into the Future
In the future, Serenity hopes to continue working in communications and/or journalism of some kind. Though she has no definite plan of where to go, she hopes to be able to continue reaching out to different people of different backgrounds. With her current internship, she is able to see where the government falls short in helping the public, as well as what goes on behind the scenes of struggle, poverty, job insecurity, food deserts and more. She would like to keep informing the public about these issues, how they go on and how to help or receive support.
She is also working on certifications in programming and software. It has long been a passion of hers, and though it is not part of her current undergraduate studies, she would like to utilize the skills she has built up for many years in some way.
She is also working on writing a children’s book. Be on the lookout for snippets she shares on her blog.