We asked some of the brightest folks from within the community to reflect back on their days in school and to share with us a story of when they learned a particularly important or impactful lesson. We’ve shared highlights below.

Blake Conner

I was in college, around my freshman year, when I learned that ambition and energy were key to most things in life. A few years after I would launch my videography business, Digital Sunshine Media, but until then I was working on small-time personal projects and one-off gigs. Read More>>

Ariel Manigault

One of the most important lessons I learned in school was that consistency will take you further than waiting to feel “ready.” I learned this lesson during college while balancing being a mother, working full time in HR, and trying to finish my degree. Read More>>

Amanda Buck

Studying Fine Bookbinding/Book Conservation at Guildford Tech in Surrey, England in 1991-1992. I studied under Master Bookbinders. Their message was simple. “Quality over quantity. Future clients will want the work done cheaply. They will want you to use shortcuts. As a result the work will be low quality.”They were right. Read More>>

Ted Irving

One of the most important lessons I learned in school was about tenacity. As a student in the Sam Houston State Dan Rather School of Communication it was important to learn all of the hardware at the radio station, TV studios, and field equipment. Read More>>

Kimberly Repp

There was a time in my life when I believed beauty was protection. I was a junior in high school: a cheerleader, captain of the squad, surrounded by large groups of friends and dating the star football player. From the outside looking in, it probably appeared as though I had everything a teenage girl could want. Read More>>

Alla Bartoshchuk

I went to art schools for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, and there were many lessons that helped shape my character that still echo in my mind today. As an art student, you learn countless small life lessons within a safe and controlled environment. Read More>>

Lucero Barry

An important lesson shaped my junior year at the Boston Conservatory: success in dance isn’t defined by raw talent or even perfect technique alone; it’s defined by whether a path genuinely fits who you are and what you value. Each year, a jury (composed of the faculty) determined whether we could continue on in the program. Read More>>

Aaron Huerta

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned came during college, at a time when I was honestly questioning my future in design. I came into school from a very illustration-heavy background. I had been making a living doing character work, cartoon-style illustration, and client-based creative work. That was my identity. I was an illustrator and that is how I saw my value. Read More>>

Sheavonne Harris

I spent many years working at an iconic institution—truly one of the best places I had ever been employed. It was where I grew the most professionally, where I took pride in going above and beyond, and where long days and even longer nights felt meaningful because I believed in the work. That season shaped my work ethic, my standards, and my sense of ownership. Read More>>

Rylee Clevenger

My first job in a salon was as an assistant at a moderately sized salon and spa. I felt underprepared entering the industry since my schooling was heavily impacted by the lockdown. I had believed an assistant position would help me build confidence and better understand how a salon operates. Read More>>

Pamela Delgado

One of the most pivotal experiences that shaped me as the founder of DCG came from my time working inside a private agency where I spent two years driving growth strategy for Fortune 500 companies. On paper, it looked like the dream. I was in rooms with C-suite executives, building incentive strategies, optimizing employees journeys, and influencing high-level decisions for major corporations. Read More>>

Katie Green

I was working in addiction counseling at an outpatient Methadone Clinic. There were three categories of patients, (1) people just looking to avoid getting sick (2) people wanting something specific (to get their court issues to go away, their partners off their back, to see their kids and (3) people who actually want to participate in their own recovery. Read More>>

Kristen Morrell

My first life, as I call it, was in finance. I worked as a client associate on a large team of financial advisors — 100% client-facing. I set up accounts, executed trades, participated in IPOs, built out 401k plans, and grabbed Coca Cola’s ’s for post client dinner hang overs. Read More>>