Many dynamic and inquisitive women gathered on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 in Holmes Lounge for the twelfth anniversary of the Composing a Life Panelist Event. Five powerful women from diverse backgrounds shared their stories, insights, and advice on how to create and balance a successful life after college.
Stephanie Krauss, a senior fellow at The Forum for Youth Investment, clarified that life is complicated and messy. Despite dropping out of high school, she obtained a General Equivalency Diploma and started attending Palm Beach Atlantic University at age 16. After graduating at age 18, Stephanie began teaching at Teach For America. She founded and led Shearwater Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on re-engaging disconnected youth in St. Louis. Stephanie emphasized the importance of networking and intentionally building relationships. She provided us with three pearls of wisdom:
- Know your personal narrative
- Look for trail markers along the way
- Be well-trained and courageous
Born and raised in China, Jia (Holly) You described her academic pressures and international integration difficulties. In the Chinese society, students are expected to do everything right and have to “compete for everything.” She moved to the United States when she was 27 years old and received her Masters of Law from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Holly was willing to work any job and started as a file room cleaner at Armstrong Teasdale LLC. She eventually became the youngest promoted partner in the firm. Holly instructed the young women to “be brave and truthful to yourself.” She explained that we each have a choice in the people we work with, and it is important to select partners who will help create synergy.
Many students related to the next speaker. Dr. Kimberli McCallum had no idea what she wanted to do in college. She recommended that students “reach out for opportunities even if they are not in their comfort zone” because the extra steps will help you go farther. Unfortunately, Kimberli had an extremely large educational debt, but she deferred her loans to go to medical school. She received her MD from Yale and completed residency in psychology at UCLA. During this time, she directed her focus on eating disorders. In 2002, Kimberli founded the McCallum Place Eating Disorder Center. Concluding her story, she encouraged us to “find our passion and to not be afraid to think outside of the box,” strongly emphasizing the importance of not taking “no” for an answer.
Jami Ake, Senior Lecturer in the Interdisciplinary Project in the Humanities and Assistant Dean in the College of Arts & Sciences at WashU, explained that where she is today is a result of a combination of accidents, luck, and choices she made that were not part of her original career path. Despite not wanting to be a teacher like her father, or a social worker like her mother, 25 years later she is involved in both. In graduate school, she started volunteering to support survivors of violence, and in doing so, she developed a passion for promoting anti-violence. Her advice is to have a plan, but not to tie your identity to it; “you’re not a failure if you aren’t doing what you set out to do.”
Growing up in with a single, working mother, Rhonda Adams planned to go to a college that would offer her a full scholarship because she did not want her mother responsible for her education. She attended Jackson State University with a full ride to study computer science. Rhonda began working for Caterpillar and ended up holding five different roles. She became extremely involved in her work and success, ultimately developing a passion to ensure minorities and women receive opportunities to grow their own businesses. After moving to St. Louis, she became the executive director of Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council. Her personal insights included:
- Purpose your passion
- Make your passion profitable
- Know the importance of networking
The knowledge and real-life experiences of these inspirational women provided a framework for young women to balance their future goals, plans, and lifestyles. We greatly appreciate the time these women invested to share their insights. In addition, we thank the Women’s Society of Washington University for hosting this wonderful event. To learn more about the Women’s Society of WashU and watch the video of the Composing a Life Event, please visit: http://stream.nts.wustl.edu/R141028002/ .
Photos by Mary Butkus.
