Be a Little Bit Brave
Freshman year I started going to IC Women in Communications with my best friend, Kathy. I became obsessed with WIC and the environment it created for women in the communications field. I felt fearless in those meetings, like I could pursue anything I had ever dreamed of. I could take up space, be loud, be bold. I could create content that mattered. I learned how to be a force of nature in a white-male dominated field. I applied to be on the IC WIC E-Board because each week WIC offered me a space where I could not only be educated on how to develop professionally, but be empowered and inspired by my peers and those pushing the boundaries of what a woman in a communications role is.
Today that seems like a lifetime ago. After 6 semesters on the board, 3 as the VP and 2 as the President, last week was my last EBoard meeting. I sat in the room, just taking a moment to think of every board I had been on and how much we had accomplished, how much we had failed, and how much I had grown through all of it. Thank you to Past President Katie Baldwin for believing in me and letting me learn to fail. Thank you to Bridget, Belen, Amanda, Ali, and everyone who helped show me the ropes and rooted for me along the way.
I can say for certain that I would not be the woman I am today without my involvement in IC WIC. WIC helped me connect with NYWICI, which is an organization that has truly changed my life. I never would have been the 2017 NYWICI Meredith Corporation Scholar without the guidance of WIC. With this internship I found a love for digital which is what I’m still passionately pursuing today. Without WIC, I wouldn’t have been the recipient of the 2018 NYWICI Alumna Award of Excellence where I got to be interviewed on the Today Show. My career path, college experience, and life would look so different without WIC.
I’m so grateful for the support I’ve been show and the freedom I’ve been given in WIC. I needed WIC to be more than professionalism. I needed it to be space that women learned to value who they are from the inside out because when you love who you are, that shows in everything you do. The best way to be a mogul in the communications field is to be your best self by taking care of yourself. This initiative was not easy. This role was not easy, nor did I ask for it to be. Now WIC is about being a well rounded person, professional, and woman.
It’s hard to pinpoint the most important thing I have learned in WIC because there’s so many lessons, but I thought I’d leave you with a short list of a few things I’ll take away from this time.
Building your “Girl Gang” or “gal pal” is one of the most important things you can do in college. They will lift you up through everything. More importantly, they will be there for you when you fail and let you know when you mess up.
Leading is HARD. You have to have a great team around you.
A good leader helps direct things towards their vision but also gives their teammates freedom to try things. You have to give them room to succeed and fail. This took me a LONG time to learn.
In mentorship / social justice work, there’s not a lot of room for reflection / satisfaction. Take that time to see your growth. Take a moment to soak in all that you’ve done and the impact you have had.
You have to have insane confidence in yourself.
This is one of my hardest goodbyes in college but my heart is so so full, knowing what we have done and what WIC has given me. And my heart is even more full knowing I am leaving WIC in the absolute best hands possible. I have seen Spring 2019 President Natalie Newman grow from an unsure freshman into a powerhouse, a confident, undeniable writer and leader. Natalie is going to change the world with her writing and I cannot wait to see her shine in this new role.
In the past two and a half years I have grown into a woman who uses my voice to advocate for others, the same way the women in WIC have done for me. It has truly been an honor to have lead this group and I am excited for the future. To everyone who has been part of this experience, thank you. To every EBoard, thank you. To everyone who has supported me, advocated for me, and let me lead this organization with blood, sweat, and tears, thank you. I hope you know I’ve given it everything I could and am excited for what’s next. Above all, I hope we have helped women reach their full potential in this white-male dominated field. I hope we have and will continue to push the boundaries of what a woman in a communications role is. It's tough work you but have to be bold, confident, take up space, and most importantly you have to “be a little bit brave.” - Mindy Kaling
Thanks for the mems, WIC
