A Little Piece of You

Today's post is all about Emily Raleigh, a hard-working gal who's passionate about what she does. She's a senior at Fordham University and the founder of Spire & Co. She lives in New York City and is an inspiration to any young women in college who want to start their own business! We hope you are inspired by reading a little bit about Emily Raleigh!

WHAT ARE YOU UP  TO RIGHT NOW?

I’m currently a senior at Fordham University in the Gabelli School of Business and I am the Founder of Spire & Co, an online destination covering the inspiring, the informative, the intriguing, and the encouraging for ambitious young women.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PURSUE YOUR OWN BUSINESS? WAS THERE A CERTAIN MOMENT?

This definitely was not a planned business! I was a senior in high school, dreaming about studying chemistry in college with the hopes of becoming an orthodontist. Entrepreneurship was never in my thought process until I started seeing the impact we were having.

However, throughout the whole process, I always felt like I was in my zone and I loved that. I had never felt like my soul belonged somewhere as I do now that I own my own business. And it makes perfect sense. In hindsight, I have approached every opportunity in my life like an entrepreneur without ever realizing it.

There wasn’t a moment I knew, but when I was a freshman in college, we won the Kenneth Cole 2013 AWEARNESS Grant, which was $5,000 and determined by Kenneth Cole, someone I so admire as an entrepreneur. That was definitely a turning point where it felt like this could work out.

WHAT'S YOUR DAILY ROUTINE TYPICALLY LOOK LIKE?

I usually try to wake up between 6am and 7:30am, depending on when I went to sleep the night before. I’m trying to be more conscientious of getting enough sleep.

When I wake up, I usually try to stick to a solid morning routine (which I actually wrote about on Spire!), which consists of guided meditations, tidying up my room, and making a big breakfast. 

From there, I head to our office which fortunately is only a ten minute walk from my apartment, where I get to work with such talented, fun teammates on Spire. Our work usually consists of a lot of computer work mixed with strategic planning, but it definitely varies on a daily basis. We are all project oriented people, so we try to build our plans into projects because we all function best in that sort of environment.

I have a lot of night and afternoon classes this semester, so I usually have to head to class towards the evening. Luckily, most of my classes this semester are directly applicable to Spire so that helps me leave the office without feeling like I’m wasting time.

At night I usually head to SoulCycle which is my favorite way to wind down the day and I’ve found it to be a time when I get the most ideas for Spire as well. Once I get back, I spend the rest of the night answering emails, working on projects for Spire, and I try to end the day reading something that usually benefits either Spire’s business or our content.

WERE/ARE THERE ANY OBSTACLES YOU FACED WHEN STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS? 

Definitely. The most challenging part has always been fitting everything in. Double timing school and a company is not easy and I've had many moments of trial along the way. The funny thing is, I’m finally starting to think I have it figured out and I graduate next month!

TELL US MORE ABOUT SPIRE & CO, WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT?

Spire & Co was started because I wanted to have my little sister’s back.

When I was a senior in high school, my little sister, Sophie, was starting her freshman year. I had a lot of wishes for her and just hoped that she would find fulfillment everywhere she went in the next four years. So I wrote Sophie a field guide to finding that. After giving it to her, it got me thinking: why not start a magazine that would make other little sisters feel like someone had their back? And that’s how Spire & Co started!

 We initially had 9 girls involved, and released a small magazine that we planned to only be 10 pages long. Soon enough, the sisterhood began to grow and so did our platform. Now we have raised the volume on what we have been doing for nearly four years and rebranded to the name Spire & Co, which is essentially Smart Girls Group with an exclamation point.

WHO IS YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATION? 

I get this question a lot and it’s always a difficult one to answer. I definitely feel grateful that it is a tricky one, though, because I think that is very telling of how many people I’ve been fortunate to be inspired by.

But I would definitely say my Nana. She’s an entrepreneur, having owned a trophy shop for decades now, and seeing her energy for life and ability to meet even the hardest challenges with incredible gusto is so inspiring. And my mom has been monumental in the person that I am in all aspects, including as a leader. She’s the person who I can call at any time, with any problem and more than anything, she’ll tell me I can do anything in a way that I believe it. All of the women in my family are my heroes and I wouldn’t be the girl I am without them.

HOW DO YOU REPRESENT THE TRAIT HARD-WORKING? AND HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE THROUGH YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

I think I quite simply just don’t stop until something has met the standard I expect for myself and what I do.

Hard work is one of those things that sounds both easy and incredibly difficult. I think I’ve learned that having a good work ethic is also understanding when you are running on empty and need to replenish. I’ve tried to do more of that this year. I have a machine setting, where I can just put my head down and work until something is finished, but no matter who you are, eventually you get tired if you don’t recharge. I’ve started trying to pair hard work with smart work and I’ve started to see that I’m able to work harder and longer when I am more mindful.

If there is one thing owning a business is about, it's hard work. I have been able to set high expectations for the business amidst college because I know if I have a goal, I’m going to do whatever it takes to reach it.

WHAT OTHER PASSIONS DO YOU HAVE BESIDES SPIRE & CO?

I adore reading. It is one of the few things that can make me stop working. I love reading non-fiction books that serve as life game changers and I so enjoy getting to talk about books with friends. Luckily, I’m friends with a lot of writers so they feel the same way I do.

I also love SoulCycle, which is a spin studio here in New York and they have studios in various cities throughout the U.S. If you haven’t tried it, I highly suggest it. It’s one of my favorite things to do with my friends and it’s quite possibly the only workout I’ve ever done where I practically forget I’m exercising in the first place. It’s my favorite way to blow off steam at the end of the day while catching up with friends.

ASIDE FROM BEING HARD-WORKING, WHAT OTHER PERSONALITY TRAITS DESCRIBE YOU AND WHY?

Confident: I’m very lucky that I was raised in an environment that totally cultivated confidence. I’ve been surrounded by confident women my entire life and my parents set the foundation for my sister and I to be the same. I think there is a lot of power in believing that everyone has greatness within them, including yourself.

Creative: This wasn’t ever something I thought much about until I was developing Spire. I thrive in spaces where I can think of a thousand different ideas a day to solve the same problem.

Passionate: Simply put, I don’t think you can own a business without being passionate about what you are doing. I’ve come to learn that I approach most of my life with that same perspective.

WHAT WOULD YOUR BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE TO A YOUNG GIRL LOOKING TO START OUT ON HER OWN ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURE?

If you completely, 100% believe that you can do absolutely anything, that’s exactly what you can do. When I started Spire & Co, I didn’t know anything about new media, journalism, computer programming, or business strategy. But there is nothing you can’t learn or try.

And it’s easy to get caught up in doing everything all at once. But the power is in the focus. If you want to make a difference, focus on keeping it simple. Plant your roots deep and your growth will be much stronger and more impactful.

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Contact Info: emily@spireand.co 

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Photo credit to HZphotography

Today's post is all about Annaliese, a sweet girl, in more ways than one. She's a recent grad with a heart for baking, children, teaching, and more. She lives in Grand Rapids and is pursuing her own baking business called Buttercup Baked Goods. We hope this inspires you to be passionate and pursue what you love as much as she does!

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO RIGHT NOW?

I am currently working as a Special Education teacher doing a full-time maternity leave at Zeeland Christian School. I work with students in grades 1-4th, specifically doing inclusive education. I am also in the process of applying for teaching jobs for next year. I absolutely love teaching and beyond passionate about inclusive education! I am also training in hopes of doing a marathon this fall, as well as the 25k Riverbank race.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PURSUE YOUR OWN BUSINESS? A CERTAIN MOMENT YOU JUST KNEW?

There has never been a specific moment in my life when I realized I would like to pursue baking. I have loved baking ever since I was a child. I would bake often with my grandmothers, aunts, and my mom. Baking has been an enduring source and expression of my love. It has been the thread that knits my life together, from memories of my grandmother’s kitchen, to family and friends’ celebrations. I wanted to be able to share that love and passion with people around me!

WHAT'S YOUR DAILY ROUTINE TYPICALLY LOOK LIKE?

My daily routine involves, waking up, eating a huge breakfast (I’m a huge breakfast fan), doing my devotionals, getting ready and commuting to teaching. Once I get to school, my day starts rolling. You can never be prepared for anything that will happen in a teaching day! Its pretty exciting to not know what will come next J After my day of teaching (Monday/Thursdays), I work as a coach after school for a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th grade running club at school. After school I commute home and typically get in a run before it gets dark. The running is my way of debriefing after a long day, it helps me clear my head and spend some time connecting with God and His creation. After I run, I might be found cooking/baking or nannying before heading to bed.

WERE/ARE THERE ANY OBSTACLES THAT YOU HAD TO FACE SINCE STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

I think the biggest obstacle has been time and space. I have so many other passions in my life (family/friends/running/teaching) that are also a main priority and focus currently. If I could do all of these things full time and never sleep I would! In my ideal world I would have my own storefront bakery in the summers and still be able to teach Special education during the school year. Moving around in college also made my passion for baking difficult. I was moving from location to location so it made it difficult to store all my products and even simple things like utensils.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DESSERT THAT YOU BAKE & EAT?

Funny that you ask this because I am actually 100% gluten free and mostly dairy free. I don’t eat most of the products I make because most of the ones that are requested aren’t gluten free. I have really trustworthy people volunteer to taste test my cakes and cookies. I do taste all the frostings because those are always gluten free. If someone requests gluten free, I am ecstatic because I really have worked hard on creating delicious gluten free cakes and cookies because I know how difficult it can be to have an allergy! If I were to eat any dessert I make it would definitely be my flourless chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache sauce!

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US A SECRET TO BEING A GOOD BAKER?

I would say the only thing to being a good baker is to make sure you have fun! Don’t be stressed to follow directions word for word, because my best baking experiences have been through trial and error. Especially when it came to creating my own recipes. One time I was making a red velvet cupcake and wasn’t reading my own recipe carefully and switched out vinegar for apple cider vinegar. I have officially changed my recipe because of that mistake! The apple cider vinegar does amazing things in a red velvet cupcake. I would have never known that if it weren’t for my own mistake 

HOW DO YOU REPRESENT THE TRAIT PASSIONATE? AND HOW DOES YOUR PERSONALITY TRANSLATE THROUGH YOUR BUSINESS?

I love to do everything to the best of my ability. I think that my passion can be seen in almost everything I do. Whether that’s teaching, nannying, God, running, or in my relationships. I am passionate about everything I believe in. I believe that my passion translates into my baking through my interactions with others. I will do everything to 100% my ability, whether that is in my teaching, running or baking. I want my customers to know that I will make them the best possible baked goods and make it as stress free for them as possible. If I don’t like the way something looks or tastes, I will redo it until its perfect. Now this can be both a good and bad thing. I am a bit of a perfectionist.

WHAT OTHER PASSIONS DO YOU HAVE, BESIDES BAKING? HoW DID YOU BECOME PASSIONATE ABOUT SPECIAL ED?

This is a hard question; I have too many passions sometimes! First and foremost, I am passionate about my faith. As mentioned before, I am beyond passionate about Special Education. I became interested in Special education because of my own personal resolve. I struggled my whole life in school with different learning disabililities. I also had a cousin who I was extremely close to in age who had ASD. Growing up with these two major impacts in my life really just gave me the heart to work with students who needed to learn differently in school. Numerous people told me while I was in college that I should be a teacher. I nannyed for many summers and absolutely adore children. My major freshman going into sophomore year was Occupational Therapy, but after much prayer and feeling pulled towards teaching I switched into the Special Education program.

ASIDE FROM BEING PASSIONATE, WHAT ARE THREE OTHER PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT DESCRIBE YOU? 

Quirky: I probably laugh at myself about 10 times a day on average. I always manage to do something that would be embarrassing to most people, but I manage to just laugh it off because what’s life without laughter? I am a pretty goofy person when you get to know me well. 

Responsible: I have been told that I am “mature beyond my years” by a lot of people. I have always loved responsibility and caring for others. I started nannying back in 7th grade. I believe that’s where a lot of my learned responsibility began. I was responsible for other family’s children and houses. That was a lot to take on, but I absolutely loved responsibility. Even now, I nanny and have the responsibility of being a teacher. I am responsible for a lot of people in my life and I trust myself doing that. 

Athletic: My whole life I have loved doing sports and “moving.” My family grew up doing lots of activities outside—kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, hiking, etc. I love being outdoors as I mentioned before so anything I can do outside (and especially on the ocean) I will be doing it. I started running cross-country back in 6th grade and continued to run competitively throughout college. Running was something that came easy to me, especially when school didn’t. Running was/is my outlet. I love being able to breath in the fresh air and run fast. It’s the time when I have thoughts to myself and can spend some quality time with God. Whether that’s exploring some trails or pounding the pavement or the track. In High school I also played basketball, which I loved! There is something in me that loves to compete and gets a rush from competing. I think that has to do with my drive of doing everything 100%..

WHAT'S SOMETHING YOU LEARNED ABOUT BEING PASSIONATE AND HOW THAT'S CHANGED THE WAY YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE?

I believe that passion can be lived out when you find the gifts that God has given you. When you realize what things make you excited! I believe my life has changed because I have found the things that make me excited and happy to wake up in the morning.

Check out more Annaliese below!

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Contact info: annaliesevb@yahoo.com

Today's blog is on a girl who needs no introduction. Madi is a junior at Bowling Green State University and sister of Alpha Omicron Pi, studying inclusive early childhood education (a perfect fit!). You don't need to know Madi to see that she's a fun loving girl, and we're happy to have her in the blog-- Thanks and welcome, Madi!

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO RIGHT NOW?

I’m currently an undergraduate at Bowling Green State University in the adorable college town that is Bowling Green, Ohio. I’m in the Inclusive Early Childhood Program, and I love every second of it. I’m currently student teaching at a local preschool. I’m actively involved in many organizations on campus including Dance Marathon at Bowling Green State University and Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority. When not on campus, I love to be home with my family in Mentor, Ohio.

 

 WHAT IS YOUR PASSION AND HOW DO YOU LIVE IT OUT?

My passion is to help other people. I love to make people smile. I believe that if I can put a smile on one persons face or make one friends day better I am being successful. I live out this passion by working hard to make others around me happy. I love to go on mission trips to help others. I have been on mission trips to many places including Maine, Alabama, and Africa. I enjoy serving the community around me at home as well. I have been able to live my passions through my involvement with both Dance Marathon and Alpha Omicron Pi as well. Alpha Omicron Pi raises money for our philanthropy each year, Juvenile Arthritis Research. Dance Marathon raises money year long for Mercy Children’s Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. The funds go towards everything such as treatments, games for children who are stuck in a hospital room all summer, hippothearapy, and counseling for parents and family members. These organizations give me an outlet to live out my passions and work to make a difference in the lives of others everyday.

HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR FREE TIME AND DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES?

Honestly, when I have free time my favorite things to do are eat delicious food, watch Netflix, and sleep. I love to nap. Everyone teases me because if I’m ever missing I’m almost always in my bed. I also love to spend time with my friends and family. I also have an adorable pet hedgehog named Harper who brings me so much joy. 

I really wish I had some super cool talents to put here but I really don’t. I love to be at the beach or basically doing anything outdoors. I also love to procrastinate learning to play the guitar, someday I’ll learn… I love to travel and see new places. 

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL AND/OR BIGGEST INSPIRATION?

My role model is probably my mom, (cheesy right?!) But in all honestly she’s always kind of just been my person. I can go to her whenever. I love the time I spend with her. Whenever I’m home in the summer we just sit there for hours talking, whether it’s late at night and I’m sitting at the foot of her bed, or its first thing in the morning and we’re enjoying coffee on our side porch. I know a lot of college students don’t call their parents much; I call mine all the time. I will be forever thankful for the support that they have always given me.

My biggest inspiration is my little sister Gabby, (I know, once again, cheesy right?!) She is absolutely the sweetest individual I’ve ever met and she doesn’t even realize it. She has such a calming spirit around her and would do anything for anyone. If I could be half the person she is, I’d be a lucky girl.

PEOPLE HAVE DESCRIBED YOU AS FUN-LOVING. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? AND DO YOU AGREE?

Well, I love to have fun honestly! Each person I meet is a new potential friend and I treat him or her as such! I will basically do anything to make someone laugh or smile. I love to meet new people and I definitely don’t have a personality that is quiet or reserved at all. Basically, I’m great at getting into people’s personal bubbles and making them have fun!

Absolutely! I do love to have fun!

 HOW DO YOU SHOWCASE YOUR FUN-LOVING PERSONALITY?

 Recently, for Dance Marathon I got the opportunity to attend one of our mini marathons, which is basically a fundraiser where high school students raise money for Mercy Children’s Hospital in Toledo. For the event I got to spend about 45 minutes in Mercy’s mascot costume Hugs the Hippo. To some, putting on a sweaty hippo costume probably wouldn’t sound like much fun but for me it was an absolute blast! I got to hop around and play with children at the event dancing to linedance songs and taking photos with children. Even though I was all sweaty and tired, they couldn’t tell at all because I kept my spirit high and was having just as much fun as they were with Hugs the Hippo. The only sad part was when I finally took off the costume and realized now none of the children I had been playing with for the last 45 minutes knew who I was (☺)

HOW DID YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE FIELD YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN?

I think I found myself in the field I am currently in because of the passionate and caring teachers I had at Hopkins Elementary School in Mentor, Ohio. The teachers I had there impacted me so greatly that I wanted to be just like them! I also genuinely want to make this world a better place for each and every child, so if I can start with my future students that would be fantastic!

HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF USING YOUR FUN-LOVING PERSONALITY IN YOUR FUTURE CAREER?

I believe that if you go into work hating what you do, those around you will catch on. So, each time I set foot into a classroom I always make sure that I’m smiling and ready for my day so that the students will follow and enjoy school as well. I want to create an open classroom in the future where each student can feel comfortable and supported to grow and achieve to the best of their abilities. Children are unique, and I hope to give them the space and assistance to grow and thrive in their school setting.

ASIDE FROM BEING FUN-LOVING, WHAT ARE THREE OTHER PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT DESCRIBE YOU? AND WHY?

Outgoing: I believe I’m very outgoing and approachable since I can talk to anyone about anything!

Passionate: I really feel strongly about so many things. I often bring my emotions into my work to show how much I care.

Driven: Once I start something, I have to finish it. As simple as that.

IF YOU HAD ONE MESSAGE YOU WANTED TO SEND TO THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

That people are good. I feel like there is a lot of negativity in the world right now. We need to remember that there is still so much to be happy about. I believe in seeing the best in everyone and giving each person the benefit of the doubt.

Check out more Madi below!

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Contact info: mlyoung@bgsu.edu

Since Madi's involvement in Dance Marathon at BGSU, she now raises money for Mercy Children’s Hospital in Toledo to help and spread that same hope to others. If you would like to read more about her fundraising efforts or this cause click here!

Molly Meyer is in the spotlight as we discuss ambitious this week. She might not own up to being the world's greatest mathematician, but defines her success by the opportunities that she seizes. She inspires us, and we hope she inspires you. Thanks, Molly!

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO RIGHT NOW?

I just took a job as a communications adviser for a public health consulting firm in Boston called John Snow, Inc. (not the Game of Thrones character, unfortunately). Essentially that means I help public health experts document the success they're having saving people's lives, preventing disease, and bringing medical supplies to people who need them in some of the most vulnerable areas in the world. It's a fantastic company and I've had the opportunity to see some amazing things, including meeting some of the health workers in Liberia who worked to eradicate Ebola while risking their own lives.

I finished graduate school about a year ago where I studied international relations with a focus on development and Africa-- I still can't believe it's already been that long! I still really miss school. While I was in graduate school I worked in the press office at the United States Mission to the United Nations, where I was able to work under two fabulous diplomats, Susan Rice and Samantha Power. Before that I studied journalism at a very tiny school in the Midwest, where I'm from.

WHAT IS YOUR PASSION? HOW DO YOU LIVE IT OUT?

I'm most passionate about sharing information to help people understand the world around them. I think it's probably the journalist in me, but I find that I'm happiest when I am able to help people learn something new or think about life differently. Often, this is through storytelling or imagery, but sometimes it comes from sitting down to talk with someone I don't know well about hard topics like politics and faith. I think this desire strongly influenced the field I'm in, but it's also been a determining factor in my friendships, especially for my friend group from college. "Going out" with us pretty much always means discussing contentious issues over whiskey and then all agreeing to disagree.

YOU CURRENTLY LIVE IN BOSTON. HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR FREE TIME?

Lately, I've been playing tour guide to my boyfriend, Karl, who recently moved to Boston. We were long distance for over a year, so we're both pretty thrilled with being in the same location for more than three days at a time! One of the great things about Boston is that it's a train ride or short drive away from a lot of great places, so we're able to see friends in New York or D.C. pretty easily but just as conveniently get to some great hiking trails. I'm a big fan of the East Coast, although I'm a Midwesterner at heart.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?

I read a lot, especially the news, but my favorite things are traveling and photography. I've pretty much always have my phone out taking photos, but lately I've been taking some classes and trying out new techniques to expand my abilities, which is a nice creative outlet. It's very convenient that my job requires me to travel internationally fairly frequently, but I also love visiting friends and family around the United States. 

WHO ARE YOUR ROLE MODELS?

I'm constantly in awe of my "surrogate moms." My own mother passed away four years ago and she was pretty incredible on her own, but she also created a network for me of some of the most thoughtful, kind, and feisty women I've met. In her absence, they are wonderful reminders of unconditional love and sources of unflinchingly honest advice.

PEOPLE HAVE DESCRIBED YOU AS AMBITIOUS. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

I think my mom was the first one to describe me that way. In my baby book she recorded a quote from me at age four when I proclaimed in Target, "Molly has to go everywhere!" It's still true. I think early on, my mom recognized that I'm not the type of person who sits still or stays quiet for very long.

WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS AMBITIOUS?

Ambition itself is a complicated topic, so the answer is both yes and no! On one hand, when I was growing up, I was never very good at school. In fact, I nearly failed a grade in elementary school (I'm staggeringly bad at math), so I don't usually think of myself as an overly academic or successful person.

Somewhere along the way I realized that education was a way for me to channel my curiosity and that it was OK for me to be better at some things than others. Now, I think my drive doesn't necessarily come just from ambition or a desire for success, although that's certainly nice. I work hard and explore opportunities in part because it's part of my identity, but mostly because I genuinely find a lot of joy from what I do.

HOW DID YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE FIELD YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN?

Two years ago, I had $17 dollars in my bank account and had been rejected from a few dozen internships, so I sent in a "hail Mary" application to my current company. After just a few months I fell in love with the company and have loved building relationships there over the last few years. I ended up in the international development/politics space in general because of a fantastic professor I had in college who forced me to speak my mind and think through issues critically. 

LOOKING AT YOUR RESUME, YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF TRAVELING. HOW DO THOSE EXPERIENCES IMPACT YOU TODAY?

My first trip, at age 15, was one of the pivotal moments of my life. Feeling out of my element in the midst of unfamiliar culture made me feel small for the first time. The humility and curiosity that I felt still drives a lot of my interests and work. My longest trip, a nearly four month stint in Africa, was one of the hardest and best things I've ever done and actually was the tipping point for me to pursue graduate school.

WHO IS YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATION?

My grandmother is the bravest woman I know. She's been passionately in love with my grandfather since she was 17 years old and now that he has dementia, takes care of him every day. I love her wry sense of humor, knowledge of gospel and jazz, and ability to keep me honest. Someday, when I'm in my 70's, I hope I am still beating my friends at cards, sneaking peach champagne, and making the world's best chocolate chip cookies.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER WOMEN WHO WANT TO GET INTO YOUR FIELD?

I would tell them exactly what I have to remind myself on a regular basis: You don't have to follow anyone else's life plan or any kind of norm if you don't want to . No matter what career you choose, at the end of the day, doing what inspires you and makes you excited is the best way to live.

Check out more from Molly below!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Contact Info: mleahmeyer@gmail.com 

 

This week we have Brooke Kranz in the hot seat as she explains a bit about who she is, what makes her wake up in the morning, and what motivates her to be the compassionate person that she is. She is a dedicated member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and has been heavily involved in some awesome, worthwhile causes. Thanks for sharing, Brooke!

 

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO RIGHT NOW?

I am currently finishing up my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at Bowling Green State University for Graphic Design. I am getting my portfolio and self-identity system together so that I can begin the search for jobs once I graduate in May. Outside of design, I am the Co-Chair of Dance Marathon at BGSU’s event called Bike for Tikes. This event is a 180 mile bike ride from Cincinnati to Bowling Green to raise money and awareness for the Children’s Miracle Network. This ride is March 31-April 3, so I am currently finishing up the planning of the ride.

DESCRIBE HOW YOU REPRESENT THE PERSONALITY TRAIT COMPASSIONATE.

I donate a lot of my time to organizations and non-profits as much as I can. I am fortunate to have good health and a great support system. I want to give back to others who are not as fortunate by donating my time, talents, and voice to a cause.

HOW DO YOU IMPACT OTHERS WITH A COMPASSIONATE PERSONALITY ON A DAILY BASIS?

I strive to be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody. You have no idea what a meaningful ‘How are you?’ can mean to someone instead of a simple ‘hi.’ Your kindness or words of encouragement can mean more to someone that you may even know. Just lending someone five minutes out of your day can make his or her day. I try my best to take interest in other people’s life, because who knows, you may become passionate about something they are passionate about also.

WHERE DID YOUR PASSION FOR SERVICE START?

I have always been a philanthropic person, mostly due to the community that I grew up in. I owe a lot of who I am to the town I grew up in. I learned hard work, compassion, and service from my small farm town community, Shelby Ohio. Growing up running around the farm I learned what hard work is and how I have to work for everything I want and to give it my 100%, no matter what I am doing. My town is a small, tight-knit community because of the struggle that my town has overcome together. When I was going into my eighth grade year, a natural disaster struck the community and about half the town was under water, including the football field, the middle school, elementary school, businesses, and many homes across the town. I witnessed my town physically falling apart, but at the same time, witnessed the people in the community grow stronger than ever before. I spent countless days with other members of Shelby donating our time to help rebuild the community. This is where I truly learned the importance of service and how any amount of time and effort can go miles.

ASIDE FROM HAVING A COMPASSIONATE PERSONALITY, EXPLAIN HOW YOU ARE PASSIONATE, DRIVEN, and ADVENTUROUS.

I chose passionate because if you aren’t passionate about something, stop wasting time and go out and find your passion. Sometimes you may stumble upon your passion, much like I did. I am passionate about the areas of my life that I dedicate the most time to. Passion makes me get up in the morning and get excited about my long list of to do’s. Stressful at times? Absolutely. However, it is a great feeling to look at my to do list and think to myself, 'I am so thankful to have a list of things I am beyond proud to be a part of, create, and so many chances to impact those around me.' My passion makes me stronger, more confident, more excited, more creative, and overall happier to live the busy life I do.

I am driven because I push myself to do the best I can do no matter what I put my mind to. If I don’t stay driven, I lose focus on my goals. Most of what I do is self-motivated, so I have to push myself to give 200% in all I do.

In the past year, I have become very adventurous. I have been adventurous both in my life and my work. I have been pushing myself to find more causes, organizations, and people that make me happier and more fulfilled. I am always looking for more. More to make me smile, more things that excite me, and more in general. I have traveled to cities and countries such as New Orleans, Denver, Punta Cana, Portland, Cozumel, Cayman Islands, and many more. Coming from a small farm community, I did not know much besides farmland, and small communities similar to mine. Exploring new cities, lifestyles, and meeting more people, it makes me want to travel even more in the future.

 

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN DANCE MARATHON AND HOW THAT STARTED.

I also found a family within Dance Marathon at BGSU. Since I was a freshman, I participated in the Dance Marathon event Bike for Tikes. Dance Marathon is across many campuses in the U.S., but Bike for Tikes is unique to BGSU’s Dance Marathon. Bike for Tikes is an event where 150 students bike from Cincinnati back up to Bowling Green, totaling 180 miles. All of the money raised goes towards the Children’s Miracle Network and the local hospital, Mercy Children’s in Toledo.

As a freshman, a group of Kappa Kappa Gammas were going to sign up for Bike for Tikes and pushed me to do so also. Today, I cannot thank these girls enough for doing just that 3 years ago because I can’t imagine my college career without Dance Marathon. This cause is something I have become extremely involved in year after year, and I am now the co-chair of this event as a senior. My role is planning the ride, recruiting bikers, fundraising for the cause, and igniting the passion in other bikers for this cause. This year I have raised over $5,500 and my goal for the Bike for Tike’s event is to reach over $105,000 for the kids. It is an amazing feeling being surrounded by over 600 participants knowing that them share the same passion as you. I hope that every student participates at least once while they are in college, because it is truly life changing.

YOU WERE ALSO INVOLVED WITH THE ONE GREY DRESS PROJECT-- COULD YOU TELL US WHAT THAT IS? HOW DID IT CHALLENGE YOU THE MOST?

In the Fall of 2015, I participated in the One Grey Dress Project on Bowling Green State University’s campus. This was the second year that the BGSU Panhellenic Council has sponsored the One Grey Dress Project. One Grey Dress is a thirty-day experience to raise money and awareness for victims of sex trafficking. This year, over one hundred women pledged to wear the same grey dress for thirty days, challenging themselves to walk in the shoes of girls and women without choices. One Grey Dress has raised over $5,000 for the three charities benefitting from One Grey Dress. I chose to fundraise for the Daughter Project, which supports victims of sex trafficking in Toledo in their recovery and supplies resources to be successful in the future. In 2009, Toledo was the fourth highest ranked city for investigations and arrests of sex trafficking of minors. It is estimated that more than one thousand victims are trafficked in Ohio each year. I chose to wear the same one grey dress for thirty days to bring awareness and funds to these oppressed girls and women. It was a challenge to wear the same outfit for a straight thirty days, to be honest. However, this challenge allowed me to speak about this cause because many people started to question why I was still wearing the same outfit after several days. This alone proved that every single person can make a difference.

HOW ABOUT GRAPHIC DESIGN?

By participating in many service events within the community and BGSU, it has changed the way I design and who I am as a person. I design with service in mind. Some of my latest designs have been 'design for good' designs, or designs that can help others in one way or another. I want my designs to better the community I am part of, share my passions with others, and impact people and/or help them in some way.

Some of my recent projects include designing an autism backpack specialized for children with autism at the Mercy Autism center in Maumee. Another project was creating a campaign for Dance Marathon to get more participants to sign up and get the word out about all of the events. This campaign has been, and still is being utilized in all of Dance Marathon's branding and promotions. Lastly, my senior thesis is designed to open the conversation about mental illness. I am sharing my own personal story in the hope to inspire others to speak about their struggles. Too often there is a negative stigma around mental illness and I want to break this stigma. Overall, I want my designs to mean something, help someone, and go beyond just a design. I want my designs to hold a purpose and a story.

WHAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE THING YOU'VE LEARNED BY COMMITTING SO MUCH OF YOURSELF TO SERVICE THROUGHOUT YOUR COLLEGE CAREER?

I have learned that any one person can make the biggest difference in someone’s life, and that someone, many times, is yourself. I can truly say that I am a different person today than what I was 4 years ago because of my commitment to service opportunities. Four years ago, I couldn’t define who I was, what I wanted, or where I would be after I graduate. I now know who I am, what I stand for, and the direction I want to go.

Brooke's Bike for Tikes page can be found right here for those of you who wish to spread some compassion. If you want to reach out to Brooke about how you can get involved in Dance Marathon, or want to know more about service, feel free to email her at bkranz@bgsu.edu.