CAREER DAY
Inspires
Words of Wisdom from Alumnae Everyone you work with is a person, and if you can connect with them on a human level you can go a lot farther than PowerPoint slides can take you.
On
— Caroline Tanner Everett ’07, director of corporate responsibility
Zoom screens across the country, 50 Harpeth Hall alumnae gathered virtually to speak to Upper School students about their transition from Harpeth Hall to college, the journey through their career path, and the many lessons they have learned along the way. Students joined panels ranging from “Do you enjoy solving problems?” to “Do you enjoy leading others?” based on their interests, skills, and talents. Each panel gave students the chance to have meaningful conversations in a small group setting with alumnae from a variety of professional backgrounds. It was a new take on what is traditionally an in-person experience, and our students enjoyed it just as much.“I enjoyed hearing from the different panels, it gave me a good perspective about types of careers in different fields,” junior Mallory Thomas said. “I learned how many of the panelists did not follow a straight career path, but instead faced many setbacks and alterations in their courses, and I learned that that is okay.” Sophomore Mary Meacham thought it was rewarding to hear from Harpeth Hall alumnae who could give advice on how to make the most of their experience in high school. “I found the Winterim panel very helpful going into my first year of internships,” Mary said. “It helped provide information on what to look for in an internship and helped me to realize that I should not be discouraged if what I thought I could see myself doing in the future is not necessarily a good fit for me.” 30 | HARPETH HALL HALLWAYS
With engaging personal experiences and helpful advice, our alumnae highlighted a future of opportunities for our students. Here are some of their words of wisdom.
Being told to ‘be yourself ’ can seem so trite, but it is absolutely true. I do a man’s job. Women were not allowed to do what I do until the 80s. I am only in the second generation of women who are able to do what I do. I find myself often bound and determined to prove people wrong, but that is a really easy way to get exhausted and burnt out. You have to take care of yourself. — Claire Berry ’05, associate pastor
Being in a leadership role as a black woman and on a team with other leaders of color, I am a mirror to my students. It is exciting for me to be a part of that group, which is something that many students had not seen before. — Tobi Lee Erwin ’08, dean of students
It’s just really important to have a good working relationship. — Marla Mazer ’96, collegiate global experience advisor
Having good communication skills and also humility in whatever career you choose is going to help you be a really good problem solver. — Glory Beveridge ’08, physician
I firmly believe that if you do what you love and tap into your gifts it will take you where you need to be. Some of us are drawn to academia, some of us are drawn to art . . . Tuning into your purpose is the work. — Sarah Scarborough ’93, entrepreneur
My experiences outside of the general college curriculum opened up my world. I was allowed to dive into opportunities that were not in the rooms on campus. It diversified my learning. — Catherine Workman ’97, senior director of science
An answer we give all the time is ‘I don’t know, let me do some research, and I will get back to you.’ Finding the answer is part of the job. Finding the solution is why I am hired. — Abby Spaulding ’03, financial planner
Thank you to our alumnae co-chairs: Caitlin Anthony ’07 (left) and Margaret Riley King ’03 (right) and many thanks to all of our fantastic alumnae who were able to join us virtually!
