 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Reflections on Leadership LearningPresented by Leora Cohen, IWL Leadership Scholar, May 13, 2011 When I entered Rutgers after a year at Middlesex Community College, I was already hooked on political science. Additionally, the summer before I began Rutgers, I had interned in Washington DC working on issues concerning politics and policy, and I loved it! Therefore, when I applied in my sophomore year to the Institute for Women’s Leadership and was asked to pick an area of policy interest I knew I was going to check the box titled, “law, politics, and government” The IWL program is structured in such a way that before we venture out into the working world, we are given a broad education about the women’s movements and women’s leadership of the past and present. The curriculum at IWL puts our role as young women leaders into a broader context. The first semester we discussed and analyzed feminist history, and theory. However, it was the conversations we shared in the classroom that first semester that made a real impact on me and made me realize that I had stepped into a space filled with passionate intelligent women who would enhance and shape my IWL and academic experience. After we had completed the first seminar of the program, IWL help set us up with internships to put us young women into the working world. I had the true privilege and pleasure to work at the law firm Greenbaum Smith Roe & Davis while simultaneously take Dr. Mary Trigg’s seminar on ‘Women in Work.’ At Greenbaum law I worked for the ‘Women’s Leadership Forum’ under the guidance of wonderful mentors such as Meryl Gonchar and Emily Kaller. Emily is in the audience today and I want to publically thank her for letting me sit in on your depositions, hearings and lunch table. In addition to the inspiring women I met at the firm, I was able to assume a small leadership role and organize an event titled “Wellness for the Working Women,” which featured a panel of women, including doctors, health professionals and fitness experts who discussed the importance of maintaining health and wellness in a sometimes stressful working environment. This event drew a crowd of close to fifty corporate women and professionals. This experience taught me that in order to be a leader, you have to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, and never sell yourself short. The women at the law firm were impressed that I was only a junior and able to set up a corporate event. But honestly, the IWL program created an expectation that we would assume leadership roles. Throughout the IWL program there were many opportunities to stand up and be a leader, whether it was the planning, execution and completion of our social action projects of which you will hear about a little bit today, or other events both on and off the college campus. While the IWL program was academically intense and rigorous, what I found truly remarkable and unique is that IWL allowed us to take the knowledge we gained in the classroom and put it into practice. As we move on from IWL and Rutgers it is important that we remember the importance and power of leadership. Exactly one month from today I will be begin working in the office of Congressman Steve Rothman in Washington DC. I would not have the position if it were not for my initiative and faith in my abilities. These traits were fostered and developed within the IWL program, and will be a vital component of my next stage in life. I want to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge those individuals who have been both a support and inspiration over the past four years of University and in the years to come. Firstly I would like to acknowledge my family: (take breath) Grandma, Aunt Rochel, my brother Aryeh who turned 21 today!, my sister Ariella and of course my parents, Ema and Abba. Thank you for cheering me on and always being there through the stresses and accomplishments. Words cannot do justice to my intense gratitude and there is no way I would be standing here if I did not have your love and support. A huge thank you to Emily Kaller, my boss and mentor at my internship at Greenbaum. Your constant enthusiasm about the future of women in the world of law taught me that the notion of ‘the old boys club’ is changing, and you manage to defy stereotype and proved to me that there is such a thing as a happy lawyer! A special thank you to Dean Matt Winkler who is a transfer dean here at Rutgers. We met because as a transfer student, I was forced to take an 8AM Monday class. Despite the incredibly early hour, that class proved to be a true blessing in disguise. You pushed me to apply to IWL, and other incredible programs here at Rutgers. Overall, you helped me navigate the Rutgers bureaucracy which itself is a great feat! Thank you for always having faith in my abilities. To all the faculty and staff here at IWL: Gail, the office, building and program would not run without you. Thank you for everything from emails to helping us cut the bagels for breakfast! Laura, thank you for putting up with us and helping us reach our full potential for each of our social action projects. Sasha, you have a true vested interest in each of us, and as an IWL graduate yourself you prove that IWL will always be a part of our lives and serve as a place to come back to. Dr. Mary Trigg, your class opened my eyes to the reality of the working world. You always demanded a high level of academic and real world accomplishment from all of us. Thank you for setting the bar high and being a support each step of the way. Dr. Mary Hartman, thank you for having a vision and putting it into reality. Her vision and program has allowed countless of young women to go through programs like the IWL and continue serving as role models and leaders for our generation and hopefully the next generation of women leaders. Lastly, thank you and congratulations to my fellow graduates. We made it! And we accomplished great things on the way. Each one of us entered into the program with our own opinions, shaped by past experiences and beliefs. I can honestly reflect and say that every classroom discussion left me with another view point or approach to a subject in a way that I never would have imagined before. Yes, there were heated debates, there were times where voices were raised, but paired with some of our philosophical and practical disagreements is an intense respect and admiration shared by all of us seated here today. I have no doubt in my mind that every one of my fellow graduates will be a leader in each of their respective fields. I know we will all accomplish great things and I wish everyone the best of luck in the upcoming years. |
