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.

Hayley Walsh

When I attended The French Pastry School of Chicago I didn’t really know what to expect. I was fresh out of high school and didn’t have any experience in the industry other than baking and cooking at home while growing up. The hours were long and the rules were strict. We did a lot of work in short periods of time to cram a ton of knowledge into a 20 week long course. Read more>>

Alexis Holifield

Title: “Unconventional Wisdom: The School of Life Lessons in Entrepreneurship” Read more>>

Patrice Thomas

One of the most important lessons I learned in college was that my self-worth is not limited or equal to how others view me. My future does not thrive on the opinions of humans but on God’s plan. During my tenure as an undergraduate student, I experienced what was once a paralyzing moment in my life. Read more>>

Conrad Hunt

“JUST DO IT.” Read more>>

Heather Harpole

As I enter the fall quarter of my senior year of college at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, I have had time to reflect on the lessons I have learned throughout my studies. Read more>>

Spencer Bakalar

I always look back to and appreciate a small lesson that one of my professors shared while I was in college. I was in journalism school at the time for documentary photography and video, and a lot of times we were shown work that was so inspiring, but could also be disheartening compared to the work we were doing as beginners. I think going into a creative field, that’s an especially steep learning and mental curve to get past – the gap between your potential and where you’re at. Read more>>

Amy Smathers

One of the greatest lessons I learned in school is that progress comes with collaboration. Read more>>

Kimberly Dotseth

One of the greatest tools I have in my business is something that needs to be taught: good writing, punctuation and grammar. I can’t tell you how getting an in=-depth education in writing changed my life. The best English classes I took in college were at the community college level: Mesa College in San Diego! Absolutely top-notch English professors that let you get away with nothing. Read more>>