91¶ÌÊÓƵ

March 4, 2026

    Empathy, for me, is not an abstract idea or a single defining moment—it is an ongoing practice, shaped by experience and lived out in the present. While earlier seasons of my life were marked by significant difficulty, what matters most to me now is how those experiences inform the way I show up for others today.

    After more than a decade of marriage, I became a single parent following a prolonged and painful divorce. The process lasted years, brought financial strain that nearly pushed me into bankruptcy, and required my daughter and me to rebuild our lives while living with family. During that time, I continued to teach, parent, and lead without allowing the weight of what I was carrying to spill outward. I learned how much effort it takes to remain steady when life feels anything but.

    Those years gave me a lasting understanding that people often move through the world carrying invisible burdens. They also taught me that resilience is rarely obvious and that strength can coexist with exhaustion. I don’t view that season as defining who I am, but it does shape the lens through which I see others.

    Today, that lens is especially relevant in my life at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ. I’m surrounded by students, faculty, and staff navigating academic pressure, career transitions, family responsibilities, and personal uncertainty—often all at once. Empathy allows me to approach these relationships with patience and curiosity rather than assumption, and with a readiness to support rather than judge.

    Much of my present focus is on community building and leadership. As an ambassador for the Leavey School of Business, I enjoy engaging with prospective MBA students and offering an honest perspective on the academic rigor and community support that define the program. I also serve as co-president of the Graduate Women in Business Club, where my work is focused on creating sustainable systems that continue to support women long after current leadership cycles end. Additionally, serving on the Student Affairs Committee allows me to contribute to decisions that directly impact student experience and well-being.

    Empathy also shows up in the smaller, quieter moments—connecting with professors beyond the classroom, supporting peers during demanding quarters, and experiencing an unexpected full-circle encounter with a former student who is now also pursuing a graduate degree here at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ. These moments reinforce the idea that educational spaces are strongest when they are built on genuine human connection.

    Just as importantly, empathy has taught me how to care for myself in the present. When challenges arise, I’m able to place them in perspective, recognizing that difficulty does not diminish capability. That internal awareness allows me to remain grounded, present, and effective in supporting others.

    While the past was undeniably hard, I carry it with gratitude rather than regret. It gave me clarity, perspective, and the capacity to meet people with understanding. Empathy, as I practice it now, is rooted in awareness, sustained by connection, and expressed through action. It is less about what I endured and more about how I choose to engage—with intention, compassion, and care—every day.