A Little About Me

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one”…

A central theme within my entire career journey has been this idea of changing the world. What I’ve learned through academic and real-life experiences is that the word “change” isn’t always what some might think – positivity, goodness, forward movement. Change can also mean back tracking, pain, insecurity, negatives. I’ve come to terms with the notion that just like my own journey, that of changing the world will include the ups, the downs, the lefts, rights, u-turns, and everything in between.

My path to business school and the aspirations I have today are so nontraditional, however, I’ve decided they’re what make me the force of nature that I am and that I wouldn’t change one step of what makes me the business professional I am. People like me are what make change happen. I didn’t really know how this radical idealism would fit into my role as an MBA candidate at UGA and I’m sure our student support team can confirm that I’m not always the most go with the flow kind of gal. I’m an accidental problem child with a heart for good trouble and a knack for pushing boundaries (in the best way possible).

Learning about the sustainability certificate offered was one of the most wonderful things that could have happened to me in my program. Its focus on the prioritization of the economic, social, and environmental spheres embodied the concepts I had so radically been promoting within my program. The certificate guided me towards courses that, I’d go as far to say that no UGA MBA student has likely ever taken. I was able to surround myself with likeminded individuals from multiple disciplines and expand my network of understandings with a more diversified cultural capital.

I also have been able to bounce ideas and concepts off those who see the world through a different lens than my own. It’s been extremely valuable to be reminded of what it takes for businesses to succeed. One day I aspire to be in a c-suite executive level leadership role. As I move forward towards that goal, I always want to remember that leaders are successful due to the hard work of those they lead. And, as such, it’s important to always listen and prioritize empathy while treating everyone with respect.

On the same token, through this process I’ve learned that leaders are just people too. Mothers, friends, pet owners – you get the gist. We’re all human. Those making business decisions are not perfect and they don’t always have all the right answers, and they’re susceptible to making mistakes. Change, as I mentioned before isn’t always linear, but what is key is that they learn and own up to how they can make adaptions to their business models that make them more sustainable.

 Unfortunate as it may be, what keeps them accountable is when we, the market, tell them that we care. Going through this process has encouraged me to be move civic in my voting and active in using my voice to enact policies that support more sustainable practices. I’ve learned that every voice does matter and when we encourage people to use their voice for good – that is where large impacts can be made. While it shouldn’t necessarily be those affected who must push for progress, those stories and emotions tied to them are powerful.

In our current US system, I have come to realize how far behind we are through the sustainability certificate. I’ve loved learning about the UK Sustainable Development Goals and wish they were more integrated at every level of academia. From early childhood to collegiate level education in all the fields, understanding core influences on sustainability can create a culture of inclusion that betters our society for years to come.

It has been so hard to have had the opportunity to experience all these wonderful things I’ve mentioned thus far and know that others could have benefited if made aware of this amazing resource available to them. This, coupled with a raging fire to build a more inclusive leadership fleet in the business realm, is what led me to build out a recommendation of how to integrate more seamlessly, ESG practices into Terry.

While it may have been a tall order, it also almost wrote itself if I’m being honest. Right there in our mission statement, “The mission of the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business is the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge to educate and inspire future leaders and promote the effective and ethical practice of business.” Inspire future leaders. Promote the effective and ethical practice of business. We want to do good – and in this day and age, we now have the quantifiable evidence to prove the profitability which is something extremely unprecedented in the field of business. This, alongside the people I’ve met and the mentors I’ve made within my time at Terry have proven to me that there is good in business and that change is coming. It’s through people like them and loud mouths like me that a demand for caring is created. And I’m proud to stand beside the dreamers, the hippies, the problem children to fight for a better tomorrow through business.

I’ll leave you with a secret… I don’t really know what I’m doing. And if you, reader, are being honest with yourself, neither do you. No one does, not in terms of how to perfect this ever-changing thing called life. What I do know is the kind of legacy I want to leave – one that shows I did everything in my power to leave the world better than I found it. And that I lived a life where I chose kindness and treated people the way they wanted to be treated. We are all stewards of this world, and my hope is that through my vulnerability and sharing my story you feel even slightly more hopeful that even though you’re a dreamer, you are not the only one.