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(L to R): Jane King '61, Mary Beth O'Leary '05,
Dr. Suellen Walsh Rother '85 and President Rosann Whiting |
The alumnae speakers at Ursuline Academy’s 15th
Annual Women in Leadership Symposium last Friday morning followed three
divergent paths after graduating from Ursuline: one entered the world of
finance, another psychology and the other, publishing.
But they all had one thing in common, aside from being proud
Ursuline girls. Each speaker emphasized
the importance of seeking mentors and the advice of others, no matter what
career path one takes.
The annual Women in Leadership Symposium is an opportunity
for current Ursuline students to do just that: connect with and learn from
alumnae. Three impressive alumnae spoke
to Grades 9-12 about their professional and personal journeys since leaving the
halls of Ursuline Academy.
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| Jane King '61 |
Jane King ’61 is
the president of her own investment firm, Fairfield Financial Advisers, Ltd.,
and has been named to the Worth Magazine
list of America’s Best Financial Advisors.
Her determined spirit has brought her great success in the male-dominated
business world. King said she was often
the only woman at conferences when she first started working in the investment
business, but that did not deter her from forging her own path. She urged the girls to take opportunities,
and learn as much as they can along the way.
“I’m going to offer you advice, and I do so with a great
deal of humility,” King said. “In the
world of working, show up every day…find and develop mentors, stay in touch and
run your career choices or life choices by them, and then third, always be
professional. Dress the part…and be
professional always in your manners.”
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| Mary Beth O'Leary '05 |
Mary Beth O’Leary ’05
began her speech by recalling the first time she thought about her future
career options: when she was in the seventh grade at Ursuline Academy. As a student in Mrs. Anderson’s math class,
O’Leary crafted an imaginary budget for her future 22-year-old self: she would
graduate from the College of the Holy Cross, move to beachfront property in
Miami with her best friend and be an elementary school teacher.
“Let me tell you which of these things came true,” she
said. “I did go to the College of the
Holy Cross…but if you couldn’t tell from my lack of a tan, I don’t live in
Miami. Instead, I live with my two best
friends from Ursuline in Boston.”
O’Leary is a Marketing/Publicity Coordinator at Cell Press, Elsevier,
the world’s second-largest publishing company, which publishes one third of the
world’s scientific, technical and medical content. O’Leary advised her fellow Ursuline girls to
embrace and learn from new experiences, even if they are unanticipated. O’Leary’s future did not follow her seventh
grade plan, and her career path has also taken some unexpected turns. As an English major in college, she never
expected to be working in the science field, but she said that she has never
been happier. The secret to her success
is advice that a mentor once gave her:
“She told me that often in your career it is as much about
the experience as the goal. If I let
myself make the most of the new position I had and the diverse experiences it
offered me, rather than fixating on what my next step was going to be, the rest
would take care of itself.”
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| Dr. Suellen Walsh Rother '85 |
Dr. Suellen
Walsh Rother ’85, a clinical psychologist, took the UA students on a
journey through her life after Ursuline.
She even brought along a travel bag, which she packed with her advice
for the future. She weaved the advice
into anecdotes from her life as an undergraduate and Ph.D student at Fordham
University and then as a clinical psychologist.
When Dr. Rother first arrived at Fordham, she thought
she wanted to be a pediatrician, but it was with the help of one of her mentors
that she realized psychology better suited her interests and personality. “Always remember to consult with others,” she
said, as she pulled a sheet of paper out of her travel bag with those words on
it. “It is important that you have
people that you trust and respect to go to and talk to.” She also told the girls that being flexible
and open to new experiences was another important item to pack in your suitcase
for the journey of life. But she ended
with the most important piece of luggage: “Have fun while you’re on this
amazing journey!”
The symposium ended with a Q & A and networking session,
giving the students the opportunity to talk with the speakers individually and
learn a bit more about their lives and careers.
Many thanks to our wonderful speakers for coming back to Ursuline for
this event! We hope you enjoyed
returning to campus as much as we enjoyed having you back!
Stay tuned for a special video recap of this event in next
week’s Bear Essentials!
Don't forget to look at the other tabs of the blog for this week's important information!
- Check out the Weekly Notes/Events tab for information on Senior Service and other volunteer opportunities!
- Please be sure to look at the Guidance tab of the blog for important information about pre-college programs for both you and your daughters.
- Look at the Advancement tab and be the first to know about upcoming events, like Grandparents Day and the Fore the Girls Tournament!
