November Monthly Meeting: Role Models

By Miranda Oseguera

WLI had their third monthly meeting On November 10th. The meeting was held virtually on Zoom. The meeting was put together and led by Co-President, Darynn Minus-Vincent and Co- Treasures, Amanda Fanning and Kelly Nguyen. The meeting was moderated by Bryana Lewin, Residential Area Manager at SJU. This meeting was about female role models and included a panel of mentors chosen by members of our E-Board

This years panel included Kylie Williams’ mentor, Katherine Kraus, who is an attorney and managing partner at the Law Office of Katherine Kraus, PLLC in Peoria, Arizona; Darynn Minus- Vinvent’s mentor and mother, DeAnna Minus-Vincent, who is the EVP, Chief Social Justice and Accountability Officer at RWJBarnabas Health System located through New Jersey; Olivia Clark’s mentor, Leslee Frye, who is an upper school psychologist SCH Academy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as well as an abnormal psychology teacher at One Schoolhouse; and Amanda Fanning’s mentor, Morgan Bryant PH.D., who is an Assistant Professor in the Marketing Department of the Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph’s University.

After the introductions of the mentors were given and their backgrounds were explained, the panelist answered questions about their personal experiences with their own role models as well as provided advice for our attendees. The conversation was very informative and exciting as Ms. Lewin asked some of the following questions: Who was your mentor?; What is the importance of role models in different parts of your life?; When has it been important to have a female role model?; How having a role model shaped them?; What advice they had for young women and how can we create more opportunities for young women to learn from mentors?.

Though every role model differed in their exact response to the questions there were many similarities in the answers. The panelist explained how they had common types of role models such as: peers, teachers, mothers, and bosses. And through these relationships they have taught our panelists the importance of having people you can reach out to in order to help you grow as a person and within your job. The advice the mentors gave to our audience can be summed up as knowing your worth. Do not be afraid to take chances and believe in yourself in order to succeed and move farther in life whether that may be asking for a higher salary or standing up for yourself.