While sometimes students drudge through their school work and rigorous curricula here at Stevens; frustrated as to why certain challenges are thrown their way; there is nothing more inspiring than successful alumni in order to help these students see the light. Wednesday night was one of those inspiring moments at the Alumnae Distinction Panel at Bissinger. Five alumnae from Stevens were invited to share their experiences in the real world and how Stevens helped them get to where they are today.
There were Priyanka Bawa, Moushmi Culver, Grace Kelly, MaryBeth Lynch, and Tammy Ramaldi. Between these five women, stood five leaders who have worked in numerous industries and fields. Today they are chiefs of staff, successful entrepreneurs, directors, and much more. While the paths these women have chosen for themselves are very different from one another, the advice they gave, the strategies they used, seemed to all come together in one full circle.
So what can be learned from these all inspiring women? Well one, understand group dynamics. Grace Kelly explained how as a leader one needs the skill of recognizing others’ strengths as well as contributing your own “distinct skills” in order to get a project or assignment done. Priyanka Bawa continued that notion by explaining that there is no shame in asking for help from your colleagues and bosses. “We are not geniuses; so there is no shame in asking someone” she said.
When the audience asked curious questions such as “what do you do when you feel you are not ready or well-prepared for a job or an assignment”, the answer was “act like you can do it.” Tammy Ramaldi explained how women today need to be more confident and project competence. MaryBeth Lynch furthered that notion explaining that women can be critical of themselves and sometimes we need to “quiet the inner critic.”
Throughout the panel, many shared stories of Stevens; the group projects, the lack of parking, the freshman year general courses, and the applied statistics class they thought they’d never use. Nikoletta Louloudis, class of 1989, shared memories of what Stevens was like when she attended. “Babbio was a parking lot when I was here,” she said.
“It’s so wonderful to hear these women speak” said Neddie Ramadan, the assistant director of the alumni office. “To think that these women were once just students here, going to their classes,” she continued. Well these women today are not merely Stevens students. They oversee budgets of 82 million dollars, they receive awards for leadership and commitment, they begin successful businesses, and to top it all off, they remember to turn on the dishwasher before they leave, and to attend their sons’ soccer games. To witness such inspiring and game-changing alumnae can make any Stevens student drudge a little less when going to their next class because one thing all five women assured us students, is that it’s all going to be okay.
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