Mentors truly come in all forms and this November I want to express my deep gratitude to a group of women who have changed my life. Each time I explain our programs to our new volunteers, I think of these women and the impact of their mentorship.

STRONG

Marcia, Kathy, and Michelle: My three non-biological moms who each taught me something different about myself. Growing up with three strong women who were genuine, talented, and bright showed me a model for what meaningful positive friendships look like with women.

My Mom: My mom has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. From the time I was a little girl, my mom made it clear that we never know what someone is experiencing and that it’s crucial to approach every situation with kindness. She’s small but mighty and was always there to listen without judgment. Every day she looks for ways to better her community and reach out to those who need support.

SMART

Mrs. Gizzi: I firmly believe that the best teachers are the ones who push you to reach for more. In Mrs. Gizzi’s class, I voiced my desire to be an anchor woman and she told me to go after my dream. She expected better writing with each paper and goal setting for each subject in school. Alas, I didn’t become a newscaster, but the work ethic she instilled in me led to many exciting opportunities and I can’t thank her enough for that.

Ms. VanDusen: Her love for teaching made her students love her class. What inspired me most about Ms. VanDusen was that she never stopped learning. The summer after my sophomore year in college, four years after I had her class, we were both in D.C. interning. She was learning new ways to make government “hands-on” for her students and taught me a crucial lesson: fostering one’s curiosity and creativity is a lifelong endeavor. 

BOLD

Cathy and Caroline: I worked with both of these women last year on a number of projects. They showed me how to mobilize people for a cause and what it means to follow your passions. They are advocates for creating a better community; from increased educational opportunities to social services, they both have vision and strong voices. Cathy and Caroline taught me what it means to boldly stand up for what I believe in and I’ll always treasure the conversations where they encouraged me to greet new challenges with open arms.  

All of these women influenced me with their actions, whether small or grand. I want to thank everyone who volunteers for Girls Inc. because something you say in a program or a Lunch Bunch may stick with our girls forever and open new doors for them. We are so lucky to have such strong, smart, and bold women influence the girls of Indianapolis each and every day!