TRACY
MAXW E LL
All my life I have felt inadequate – like I didn’t quite fit in. I don’t talk about it much, and when I do, people always express surprise. The truth is, I would rather be seen as someone who has it all together – someone getting stuff done. So I would push through the self-doubt and forge ahead into what has become a rewarding journey. I founded a non-profit and have received numerous awards for my work with hazing prevention, and I have been a professional speaker and consultant on the topic for the past seven years. I’ve appeared in the media including ESPN, CBS, the New York Times, the “Katie Couric Show,” and countless others commenting on hazing. Outside of higher education, I have gained notoriety in the young adult cancer community. I speak at conferences and published a book about being single with cancer. This has led to television, radio, and print pieces about my experiences with a rare form of ovarian cancer. I have tried to turn every success and setback into an opportunity to make a positive impact. I am happy with where I have ended up in my career. However, I’m not sure I ever knew exactly what path I should be taking within this field. Many of my successes have been motivated by a desire to gain external validation to make me feel better about myself.
