Choosing Value Over Success

I had the great opportunity to participate in the NCAA Winning Careers in Athletics program in Tampa, Florida. The event was held at the St. Pete Times Forum in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championships.

In our NCAA backpacks that each participant received, there was a card with a picture of white eggs and one golden egg in the middle of them. The bottom of the card displayed the message,

“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” - Albert Einstein

Meeting professionals like Celia Slater, Ann Salerno, Karen Morrison and the entire Panel of women professionals who shared advice and experience for aspiring young women like myself was a great motivator for me.

From this experience, I am better prepared to apply my career values into my final college semester. One piece of advice that stood out to me was about taking the initiative to lead something, spoken by Amy Hayworth, Associate Athletics Director for University of South Florida.

GCSU teammates, Jessica Newland, Kelli McLane and I at DI V-ball games!

In an effort to lead something of value for our University, I have proposed to Wendell Stanton, our Athletic Director, about implementing a Women’s Leadership Symposium at GCSU addressing Gender Initiatives and Sports Career Development in March of 2010 for National Women’s History Month.

The author, Awista Ayub, of However Tall the Mountain is interested in speaking at our University along with some of the speakers I networked with this program.

Awista Ayub in the media-However Tall the Mountain Interview with CNN International Tues December 1, 2009: http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/wor
ld/2009/12/01/sot.afghan.ayub.int.cnn

In addition, I have contacted our University President, Dorothy Leland, about supporting this effort as well as our Women’s Resource Center Coordinator, Jennifer Graham.

I am passionate about this as I look to inspire the next generation of women leaders. I would defiantly recommend this NCAA Winning Careers in Athletics program to those interested.

I also hope to be able to attend the NCAA Emerging Leaders Seminar in late January of 2010 or the NCAA Women's Leadership Symposium in May 2010.