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.

Dr. Chana Campbell

During my time in academia, I learned great lessons such as resiliency and learning to embrace my personal journey. My path to becoming Dr. Campbell was neither clear nor direct. There were challenges, trials, and even life tragedies. There were also moments of celebration and triumph. I entered college very certain about my career path and major. After a year and a half, I realized that wasn’t what I wanted to pursue. I took six months off to figure things out. While I was grappling with my next steps, my classmates were progressing in their studies and starting to look at internships. I felt truly lost and was deeply disappointed in my inability to “figure it out” like everyone else. I learned to embrace who I was and where my journey was taking me. I had to stop comparing myself to others. Once I accepted what was happening, I was able to shift my focus. This is when I began to walk in my truth. I chose a path that was not always popular, but it was the best choice for me. Read more>>

Christine Williams

My first trip to Costa Rica during high school for an Environmental program had a profound impact on me. It was the most meaningful and transformative journey I’ve ever undertaken. We explored the country, delving into wildlife, the environment, and the challenges faced by animals and local communities. During this trip we got to go on some great adventures like zip-lining through the canopy and enjoying hot springs near a volcano! We also participated in turtle monitoring, youth education, and sustainable farming. I believe I was at the perfect age where my eyes really opened up to see the world in an entirely different light. Read more>>

Alissa Henriksen

The importance of a positive mindset is a critical lesson I learned early in life. When I was seven, I was diagnosed with auditory dyslexia, a learning disability that led many to believe that I would have to depend on others for the rest of my life to read and write. Name calling and negative assumptions from others were rampant. My parents were huge supporters, with my mom being my constant advocate due to her own educational background and activist mentality. She was relentless to get me the support I needed – when my school and teachers didn’t understand. I felt lonely and worried because others made me think there was something wrong with me. I had to use a different lens to see that there wasn’t anything wrong with me. This is how I was created. I didn’t fit their path but that didn’t mean I couldn’t find my own path. Read more>>

Ivana Jovanovic

As a child, I did not have a clear vision of what I wanted to be and that kind of undefinedness followed me throughout life. I had many wishes, hopes, and goals, but none of them felt like they were suitable for me and my inner passion. For a short period of time, I have studied English language, literature, and culture at the Faculty of Philology and I was truly convinced that this was my true calling. I was so wrong; so I found myself on an uncertain path again. Read more>>

Havin Baucom II

As a kid I attended 10 different grade schools. This was frustrating growing up, but it was easy to make friends, hence the opportunity for trial and error. I believe it seemed easy due to people admiring my clothes or style along with my personality. As a kid, you often want to fit in, and I wanted to fit in but in a way where I also stood out. I wasn’t afraid to be different and unknowingly, this was identified as confidence by my peers. As an adult, I learned those experiences were pivotal because they’d later help me identify what I was passionate about, they’d reveal how I could help others develop their confidence through image and how my personality could be beneficial to starting a business. Read more>>

Jenna Glassock

Growing up, I was a pretty high-achieving kid, and a lot of my self-worth stemmed from being considered “smart.” I was regularly praised for learning things and completing my work quickly. What I never really learned was how to fail. I still remember the answers I missed on tests in elementary school and the times I didn’t get an A in a class. Failures, however small, felt catastrophic. History was my weakest subject in school, and rather than push through – even though it was a subject I considered interesting – I stopped taking history classes as soon as I was able. Read more>>