The 2014 Women’s Leadership Awards allowed various women to share their stories with us. They were inspiring and we wanted to share them with you.
Elizabeth Reidman is a KEY scholar studying Anthropology and Religion. She won the Susan B Anthony Prize Award. Below is her personal statement.
Sometimes growth sneaks up on you. I’ll never forget the moment I was confronted with mine.
Last August as Wilson Day Coordinator I was given the opportunity to speak in front of 1,200 color-coordinated freshmen, fresh-faced and eager to adventure out into Rochester. I had been preparing for months. The buses were organized. The volunteers gathered and the community was waiting. All I could think about was how just three years ago, I was sitting in those very same bleachers. I remember staring down at the girl who was speaking to us wondering just how someone gets to be in a leadership position like hers. “Wow, it was a student that planned this whole day?” It was unimaginable to me at the time. But fast forward three years and there I was. I was now that girl. I was that leader.
It’s a rare occasion that we take the time to truly stop and realize our growth. But it was there in the sweaty Palestra full of freshmen awaiting my advice that I realized just how far I had come.
My experience is that realization may come suddenly, while leadership grows over time. Throughout my undergraduate career I have been extremely fortunate to learn from many talented and passionate leaders. As student community assistant of Rochester Urban Fellows I planned Wilson Day; met many community leaders; visited businesses on Thurston Road, and discussed the issues facing non-for-profits like Charles Settlement House and Foodlink. I have overcome different challenges leading my peers as a director and secretary of The Opposite of People Theater Group, member of Rochester Raas and student manager of Hartnett Gallery. All these experiences have shaped me as a confident leader over the years.
I have also learned many things from those around me. First, to be proactive about issues I am passionate about, rather than relying on others. Secondly, the importance of listening to others’ viewpoints and thirdly, I learned that strength and passion are keys to making change happen. I saw this first hand as Jackie, a full time grandmother dedicates her time to being Westside Market Manager or how Nancy Johns-Price, an enthusiastic head of the Southeast Neighborhood Service Center, spearheads change on Monroe Ave with a smile. These experiences have fueled my passion to bridge the gap between our community and our campus.
I sought opportunities while an undergraduate, from planning Wilson Day to organizing outings off-campus for friends, yet, it wasn’t enough. I craved a change that would last long after I graduated. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity as a KEY student to dedicate a fifth year to find a way to encourage community engagement and connection for years to come. A recognition for the Susan B Anthony Prize would stand as a recognition not only for me, but for the importance of community engagement as a whole and the strong community leaders who have shaped me into the individual I am today.