Thoughts on what to say at Upward Graduation:
- Who is this person and why is she talking to us?
- Chair of the Upward Alumnae Council which is working with Momentum Staff to develop Upward-focused engagement opportunities which I will tell you more about
- A thankful graduate from Upward Class 1 (Afternoon Session)
- Quick Background and how Upward has made a difference
- Never knew what I wanted to do when I grew up
- Tried out any opportunity that crossed my path
- Learned on the job instead of formal training
- Wide variety of skills from sales to stage management and database administration to fundraising
- Devalued my skills and my self
- At an Organization I was passionate about in a position that utilized most of my skills and was exposing me to new ones but I was struggling
- When I was put in a Leadership position as staff liaison to Junior Board, I decided I needed some kind of training since I didn't consider myself a leader - in fact, I generally only became a leader when no one else was willing to be one
- Found Upward
- Expected work-focused Management Training
- Value from Upward -> better understood myself so I could work better, too
- Some of the struggles I had at work weren't because I wasn't trying hard enough (as I'd convinced myself) but because they were specific weaknesses for who I am - AND THAT'S OK
- I became a better team member because Upward helped equip me with tools to recognize when I was falling into my introvert tendencies but needed to connect in a personal way
- It helped me to find the courage to fail - one of the greatest fears in my personal and professional life - to arrive at a better outcome when a Junior Board event just was not coming together - I never thought failing would be one of my proudest moments
- While Upward helped me to be better in the position I was in, it also prepared me when the time came to take the next step
- I saw a position that my intuition told me was completely right for me...even though I only met maybe 50% of the stated criteria
- In my head, I heard "Men typically apply for positions where they only meet 60% of the qualifications"
- I maximized my network to get me on the radar for the hiring managers so they wouldn't overlook me for not having some of the programming skills in the description
- I actually got my Upward book out to revisit some of the career history work we'd done and other notes I'd taken so I could focus on my transferrable skills to build my confidence on what I COULD offer instead of covering up for what I couldn't
- It's been one year since I became the Assistant Director of the Advancement Information and Analytics Team at UAB, and I have been heavily praised by everyone I work with for the qualities I bring to the table that were not even listed in the job description and have never been criticized for the qualification I didn't meet.
- Each of you will take something different from your Upward Experience, and each of you will have a different path from here. Some will change jobs, some will change employers, and others will bloom where you're planted.
- You all will have moments over the next months and years, though, where something you heard or learned during Upward will come to mind or will make sense in a whole new way.
- I hope you continue to find as much value in your experience as I have in mine.
- Speaking of life after Upward, let me tell you a bit about the Upward Alumnae Council - what we do for you and how you can be involved
- Formed a year ago and are still fine-tuning operations
- Four committees that plan events and opportunities for alums to connect with each other, with our community, and with the Momentum Executive classes
- Social Committee - Including Holiday Social on Dec 7
- Education Committee - Organizing Speaking or Webinar events
- Community Service Committee - Period Products Drives with Bundles of Hope
- Mentoring Committee - Networking events at BSC, Girl Scouts, etc.
- If you are interested in learning more about any of the committees to become a member to help plan events, email Tina or upwardalumnaecouncil@gmail.com
- Paid Memberships - $75 a year (can be paid monthly)
- This is your alumnae group - give us your feedback and let us know what you are looking for
