March is Women’s History Month and SPS is excited to join in on the celebration of women everywhere. Students, alumni, faculty, and staff are sharing stories about the women who have inspired them in their academic pursuits or professional careers. Whether they are family members, authors, leaders in business, politics, academia, or all of the above, these inspirational women paved the way for new generations, disrupted old ways of thinking, and contributed great new things to the world.
The woman who has inspired me the most in my life was my mother. She instilled in me the value of getting a good education and continually learning, working hard and expecting to earn (vs. be given) recognition and reward along the way, and being values-driven in my work and personal life. She encouraged and expected me to be a better version of myself every day. It is that influence that has guided, and continues to guide, my professional and personal paths, and has been the foundation for the professional and teaching work that I do today to help my clients, students and friends be the ‘best version of themselves every day.’ My mother inspired that in me, and I now have the opportunity to build my legacy by inspiring that in others."
Rachel Carson and her book Silent Spring was one of the key works that inspired me to pursue a career in environmental sustainability. It explained the concept of toxicity and the interconnection of our ecosystems and led to the banning of DDT. In a preview of attacks on climate science, she was subjected to an avalanche of misinformation from chemical companies. She was fearless and a magnificent communicator and a great environmentalist."
Janet Hoffman, VP Customer Cloud Experience at Google Cloud - North America, exemplified strategic, inclusive, and innovative leadership before these became business buzzwords. Janet was my first manager on a significant global retail client during my first project experience with Accenture. She is a formidable leader who introduced our team to leadership development, organizational culture, collaboration, and team-building as essential tools for successful change management initiatives. My experience with Janet inspired me to pursue my Master's in Organizational Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. I have since spent my career in HCM, specializing in leadership development, team building, and executive coaching."
“In the 6th grade, our final project was to research (and ultimately role play) a ‘notable.’ This ‘notable’ could be anyone who was considered successful, famous, or visionary. I selected Eleanor Roosevelt. I can certainly list all of her noteworthy accomplishments as a First Lady, diplomat, and activist; however, what I've taken from her—after all these years—is this quote: ‘No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.’”
– Sabrina Romulo ’22SPS, Strategic Communication
“The late Margaret Thatcher was my icon of a strong, smart, and resilient woman. My favorite quote from her is, 'Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the high road to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction.'”
– Sarah Oleng', ’22SPS, Strategic Communication, and Student Representative, SPS DEIA Committee
When I was a young HR consultant, Pam Vosmik was the Vice President of Human Resources at my most complex client, AT&T Universal Card Services. Pam taught me how to stretch my thinking, accomplish more than I expected and, all in all, take work very seriously and not ‘too’ seriously. She was the perfect role model for someone trying to learn, and grow and succeed."
“A woman who has inspired me and generations through the power of a story is Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. From the tales of Pippi Longstocking to Ronja The Robber’s Daughter and the Brothers Lionheart, Astrid inspired children all over the world to be strong, to be brave, and most importantly, to be kind. Her stories will live on forever and continue to inspire generations to come.”
– Matilda Ivarsson, ’22SPS, Strategic Communication
“I am inspired by all the women who have, and are continuing, to pave the way for women in business. For 50-plus years, many women have worked tirelessly to ensure equality for future generations, and if it were not for them, 2022 would have looked much different for women in business.”
– Olivia Paxson, ’22SPS, Enterprise Risk Management
“All my life I have had very many women who have inspired me. Being born and raised in Kenya, there were a lot of events and challenges that women faced. The following women inspired and motivated me, and I have to thank them for making me who I am today. My mother, Mary Ndungu, was a spinal cord nurse in Nairobi. She balanced being a mother to five children and four stepsons, and opened up a hardware store and her own clinic in the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya once she retired from the hospital. She is turning 78 this year. She spent all her time always contributing to society and giving back to the community. She opened up the clinic and made sure that healthcare was available to those who would never have had it otherwise. She inspired my professional career by ensuring that every interaction I had, whether in business or at home, would always be kind and helpful. She was a firm believer that if you don't think you have a purpose, you should start helping your community while you figure it out. Take your time--no pressure.
“My aunt Margaret Rumba dedicated her life to working with children, and her whole adulthood to working for World Vision and traveling to war-torn areas to help children in Africa. She helped me with my homework in primary school, and inspired me to get my Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. (coming soon), as she had worked tirelessly on her education. She always said that there are two things people cannot take away from you, your memories and your knowledge. She told me that if I don’t know what I want to do yet, just learn everything I can, and be ready to teach it. Share your knowledge as readily as you share your food (this is from African culture). So I decided to add to the list--that people cannot take away your option to be kind. As she is always kind to strangers, and always ready to teach. Her dedication to education in children and the importance of having an educated population, inspires me every day to teach.
“To my sister Janet, who helps in her church and ensures that women are empowered in making great accounting decisions, and are always prepared for the risky parts of life.
“As an adult, and moving in corporate and small business circles, the league of impressive women grew. From the first manager who ever gave me a chance when I came to this country, Lori Traboldt. Letting me be a server at a buffet, and helping me maneuver my 14-year career in the hospitality industry, from a server to Dual General Manager. Not knowing at the time that she was being an ally in every sense of the word, and pushing me as a woman, an African migrant, and most importantly, seeing me as a person to whom she can impart her wisdom.
“Lastly, to a small business cheerleader who resides in my heart among all these people is Tisha Hammond. When I decided to open my own KindnessInspired company, I was (excuse my French) freaking scared! I felt alone and unsupported. She took me under my wing and mentored me. Showed me the importance of being authentic while networking, and figuring out how mistakes are great for you. She has mentored me through my toughest times.
“The toughest being joining this school. Imposter syndrome is heartless. And receiving the acceptance is only the first step--figuring out payment (and this was so scary!), balancing home life, work life, and most importantly, having fun in each class. She always reminded me that I needed to have fun in each interaction and celebrate our different cultures. She helped me realize the importance of ‘ubuntu’ (I am because we are)--she is a woman who inspires me as she runs her business on the principles of Kwanzaa.
“My life is a collection of powerful people in this world. I would not exist today, be part of the student government, champion for knowledge and sustainable goals, striving to help others through education… I would not exist without these people in my life.”
– Elizabeth Ndungu, ’22SPS, Information and Knowledge Strategy
My colleague Pamela Rogers had a vision of risk management that I found inspiring–in her view, it was all about enabling conversations, to make sure that when one person in a company sees risks that can easily be avoided, the other people in the company will listen and respond. I enjoyed having her voice as a counterpoint to the quantitative techniques that I usually emphasize!"
Always aspiring to learn and reach the next level in academia, I decided to test the doctoral degree program path. In March 2016, I discussed with my direct leadership if our company would fund my doctoral program. Command policy stated that it would require a business case justification signed by the HR vice president to compensate for tuition at the doctoral level. I crafted my vision statement of how I saw my doctoral journey taking me and submitted it for review and waiver to our corporate HR leadership. The document landed in Dr. Yvette Burton's office. She was the final approval of the Ph.D. tuition waiver.
I still recall when she invited me into her office to discuss my aspirations and goals. With tremendous confidence and vision, she smiled and said, ‘I believe in you,’ as she signed approval for my Ph.D. tuition. ‘You will soon be Dr. Rivera.’ I often corresponded with Dr. Burton throughout my doctoral research years, thanking her for opening the doors to my academic pursuits. Upon completing my doctoral research and successful thesis argument, I reached out to her to thank her for opening the doors to my academic achievement. She asked if I was interested in lecturing at the Columbia University HCM program. WOW!!! She opened the next door to yet another incredible journey and one of my greatest passions–lecturing at SPS in the HCM program. Thank you, Dr. Burton! You paved the way for my dreams!"
The Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS) was founded in 1995 with a mission to provide innovative—and flexible—programs that help students reach their educational and professional goals. The School offers 18 accredited master’s degrees, 15 certificate and certification programs, and more than 100 areas of study through its Postbaccalaureate Studies and Visiting Students programs—all available on a part-time basis. Explore Columbia SPS’s part-time offerings, including master’s degrees, certificates, and other non-degree programs.