This year, Ashleigh Hogan (II) launched a new lecture series on campus. Her goal: Offer students the full-range of what “success” looks like. Through the Faces of Success series, Ashleigh plans to invite personally and professionally successful individuals, inspirational people from various backgrounds, to share their stories—challenges, surprises, decisions, outcomes—with Milton students.
In December, with support from faculty members Tasha Otenti (classics) and Jamila Capitman (multiculturalism), Ashleigh hosted her first guest speaker, Bertha Coombs. Ms. Coombs (Milton Class of 1980) is a reporter for CNBC covering financial, business, and healthcare news.
Ashleigh offers insight on her new project, from idea through execution:
Many students are not aware of the range of careers and opportunities available to them. Considering the question “What do you want to do with your life?” is daunting. Being exposed to dynamic people and their experiences early on might help young people understand that successful adults have gone through many trials to get where they are—that this is part of the process of growing. I hope speakers will share how they turned challenges and setbacks into learning experiences and powerful opportunities to “make it.” Perhaps after hearing a Faces of Success speaker, a student might head down a path he or she had never considered.
Getting the series off the ground has been a learning experience. People have very busy calendars! Coordinating a time when speakers are available, and when the right space on campus is free, has been challenging. Getting busy students to stay after school is also a challenge, as homework and tests may take precedence. I learned quite a bit after hosting my first lecture on how to better advertise and organize the venue.
It turns out that Ms. Coombs is grateful none of her original life plans actually came to fruition! She said that in high school, she knew exactly what her career path would be and exactly how she would achieve it. However, being flexible and reflective throughout big deviations from the plan helped her. She didn’t let her own setbacks, or other people, define her, especially as a woman, or as a person of color. Her advice is to find a career that helps you develop your strengths and passions. She stressed the importance of feeling purpose in one’s career. She encouraged students to allow for growth, and change—to be resilient and embrace the twists and turns life presents.
She encouraged us not to accept “snippets” of news, but to read to understand issues in-depth. She posed lots of thought-provoking topics: gender- and race-equality in the workforce; both men and women balancing family and career; challenges for women to network and find mentors. She told us to be rigorous in our questioning, and not to get caught up in the negativity of social media. Her story and advice resonated with me: There’s room for error, and I don’t need a definitive plan. That concept will be helpful especially in my senior year. Something unanticipated could turn out to be the greatest thing of my life!