One very cold night in January 2019, my best friend, Jenn, and I headed down to 3rd Ave in Seattle to participate in the Search and Rescue efforts with the Seattle Union Gospel Mission. We arrived at 7pm to be briefed on the efforts for the night and be divided into three teams being deployed to different parts of the city. Our mission was simple: to let the forgotten, overlooked and disregarded know that there are people in their community who care for them.

Jenn and I didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into that night, we both just felt a tug on our hearts to reach out to those we pass on our daily commute. We wanted to connect – to offer help and support to the faceless. As we entered each encampment area, some of us set up shop by opening up the van, prepping the food and blankets we had brought for distribution to those who came out to see us. A small group of others walked the streets, announcing loudly that we were here with food, hot cocoa and blankets for anyone interested in saying hello. Slowly, one by one, people started to emerge from tents and RVs, makeshift shelters and shadows. Each person was greeted with a warm hello and a handshake; regulars a hug and friendly smile. We passed out clothes to those who requested it, scarves, mittens and hats. We handed out sandwiches and hot cocoa; dog food to four-legged friends protecting our two-legged friends on the streets. We laughed and in addition to offering necessities, also offered a warm bed to sleep in for those interested in a different life.

We were Love arriving.

I often wonder why we so readily dismiss the homeless. Why is it so easy to walk by the disenfranchised, the sick, the hurting? Is it because we believed the hype about those in need…that somehow they are just lazy or addicts or trying to scam the system? That they’re homeless because they messed up somehow and “deserve” what they get?

We used to be a country of people who cared for each other, took care of the sick and broken, had empathy for those down on their luck. I would like to think we can become that again. And if you don’t know where to start, may I suggest reaching out to the Seattle Union Gospel Mission? There you can see the power of empathy and kindness and realize that you can make a difference…one Love bus at a time.

For my master’s program at Gonzaga University I was tasked with creating a video that explained why I decided to pursue a master’s degree and what I am hoping will come from it. This brief video explains my journey.

https://youtu.be/wOW94sMZLCo

I’ve always loved a good story.

As a child, I would spend hours writing fictional stories, creating plays on my front lawn for my neighbors to watch, and composing new commercial jingles at the dinner table.  During my first two years of college, I competed in public speaking – specifically Readers Theater – where I learned to animate stories through voice intonation, visual focus and minimal body movement.  In my mid-twenties, I had the opportunity to produce and star in a winter sports segment airing weekly on Fox Sports NW; to share my passion for winter sports through related stories.

As a career marketer, I’ve had myriad opportunities to create corporate positioning, messaging and brand stories; produce videos and case studies, write advertisements and web content.  I’ve spent over twenty years helping others create authentic stories that connect with their audiences, resonate in meaningful ways, and, if all goes well, motivate those audiences to take favorable action.  At the heart of everything I’ve been passionate about throughout my life is connecting with others through story because I’ve learned that a good story is the only thing worth remembering.

When my son was an infant, I decided it was time to formally learn how to be a better communicator and leader; to put a bit of polish on a craft I’d been pursuing for decades.  For me, the benefits to joining the Communication and Leadership master’s degree program at Gonzaga University had nothing to do with getting a promotion or the potential to earn more because of the degree.  No. To me, the benefit of pursuing higher education has everything to do with expanding one’s perspective, increasing one’s knowledge, and refining one’s ability for the sake of nothing less than personal growth.

And boy have I grown!  I took a five-year hiatus from this program.  An illness led me to withdraw from the program, and then the busyness of life kept me from returning.  It wasn’t until the small software company where I worked was acquired by Microsoft that I finally felt I had the right resources in place to return to Gonzaga and the program I started years ago.  The growth I have experienced in those five years though – wow!  Between learning to be a mother and learning to be a C-suite executive, the challenges and growth opportunities have not stopped.

I’ve worked harder than I ever have in my life, realizing that trying to have it all means having to give life my all.  I’ve learned to be more patient and direct, more forgiving and assertive, more loving and firm.  I’ve learned to prioritize and plan, budget and invest, laugh and let go.  The time spent away from my education taught me how to re-engage in this program in a more balanced way.

Every experience since starting this program has given me the ability to extract real-life application from the teachings.  The ethical leadership curriculum, for example, applied to my peers throughout the acquisition experience – in fact, I think every paper I wrote for that class told a piece of the acquisition story through a leadership lens!  This Content Creation and Strategy class manifests my favorite work tasks into one course:  story-telling, public speaking, digital media, video production, etc.  Every class, every lesson, every experience in this program has expanded my way of thinking and doing, enabling me to be a better contributor, mentor, and servant-leader.

What’s more, the curriculum in the Communication and Leadership program at Gonzaga has helped me be a better, kinder, more patient person.  Interacting with classmates with different belief systems and from different backgrounds has softened my judgment and helped me to listen more than I speak.  I feel like I’m a better mother, partner, friend and leader because of this education.

While I suppose many people pursue advanced degrees to advance their careers, I’ve chosen to pursue this degree to advance my life, wholly.  I want my story to be one that continues to be rewritten chapter after chapter, with every class helping me edit, develop, and pivot the narrative so it becomes rich and compelling.  While I have just three classes and my capstone until graduation, I’ve been dreaming of continuing down this academic path beyond that to see where it leads.  Maybe it will end with a few more letters after my name or a published book or a new career.  Who knows?  All I do know is this education is additive to all aspects of my life and is helping add color to this chapter of my story.

The rest is to be continued…