BVU Women Making History Share Advice, Insight
BVU’s Gender Studies Program hosts discussion during a campus celebration of Women’s History Month
Four Buena Vista University alumnae offered thoughts, advice, and inspiration during BVU’s Second Annual BVU Women Making History panel discussion on March 23. The event, which expanded into classroom talks and networking opportunities, was organized by BVU’s Gender Studies Program amid a campus celebration of Women’s History Month.
Panelists featured included:
• Dr. Stacey (Weaver) Cole ’96, Superintendent for the Storm Lake Community School District.
• Courtney (Kemp) Anders ’05, Vice President of Legal Affairs for Warner Bros. Television in Calif.
• Jen (Stork) List ’07, Managing Director for Ernst & Young, LLP.
• Dr. Kimberly Perez ’13, Senior Research Scientist in Immuno-Engineering at Moderna.
Questions from students were offered by moderator Dr. Wind Goodfriend ’98, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Gender Studies Program. She started with a query on whether panelists had switched their career path.
“I knew when I came to BVU, I wanted to take the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam,” said List. “I never thought I’d be in public accounting that long, but I’ve really enjoyed Ernst & Young. The first few years are tough in public accounting, but it’s really worth it.”
Cole said she had no intentions of becoming a teacher. And yet, that’s exactly the career trajectory she selected as a BVU student. “I wanted to have the ability to impact the lives of people who didn’t win the birth lottery,” she said.
“I originally saw myself serving an organization such as Boys Town, but I learned I could do all those things within our public school system right here.”
Anders worked on the campus television station as a BVU undergraduate, getting started the day she arrived on campus as a freshman. “I then took business classes to better understand the business side of communications and that’s how I ended up in a legal career,” she said.
Perez came to BVU thinking only about a narrow field of career possibilities for herself: medical doctor, lawyer, accountant, or teacher. “But at BVU, I learned I love doing research,” she said. “I interned in Arizona at a research institution and that gave me the spark. I found I could work in research to find ways to better human health.”
Goodfriend also asked about any struggles and successes they each encountered and enjoyed.
“Looking back,” said Perez, “I was very timid in seeking the support I needed to get where I wanted to be. I learned that if you need something, don’t be shy.”
List and Anders, meantime, learned the value of prioritizing activities and managing their time. List participated in golf and served as President of Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), while Anders sang in the choir and helped produce TV programming.
“I was a first-generation college student,” Cole said. “It was difficult at first to navigate the system.” Cole laughed and said she went from being in multiple activities in high school to focusing on what she was passionate about at BVU, an intentionality that showed in her founding of Adventure Club, a schedule of activities for children in the Storm Lake Community School District on days when school dismissed early.
When Goodfriend asked if being female has helped or hindered them professionally, answers varied. List, for example, lauded her colleagues and said she’s never been made to feel inferior professionally in any manner.
Cole, on the other hand, laughed and said the restroom lines are not long at state conferences for superintendents as there are few females serving in that role in Iowa. “And yet, the profession itself is very female driven,” she said.
Perez noted that in post-doctoral presentations, her male peers would be referred to as doctor, while women would often be called by their name and not the title they earned. “Luckily, I do have great support in my managers at Moderna,” she said.
“In Hollywood, a large number of the executives are male,” Anders said. “I knew that going in and that I’d be prepared. I’ve not faced any problems.” If and when she does face a micro-aggression, Anders said she pauses for 10 to 15 seconds and then answers assertively.
“I am surrounded in a great support system with many females, both in my family and in my 17 years of work at Warner Bros. In the four divisions in which I’ve worked, I’ve always had a female mentor.”
Perez and Anders also asked students to be cognizant of the time they take for themselves. List noted how important it remains to make time for family activities as both female and male colleagues have shown her it is OK to leave work early, to put family first.
Cole, who sees dozens of great female role models each day, perhaps more, asked BVU students to think about their passions. “Think about what makes you happy,” she said. “You do you!”