One Sweet Day: The Story of A Young Student’s Transformation at a DRIVEN Event
Dorothea Fair
Sometimes, there’s little I can say about DRIVEN’s events that can be more honest and directly enthusiastic than the words of an inspired attendee. The words I have in mind this time around come from Dorothea Fair, a recent graduate of Georgian Court, who was in attendance at last May’s DRIVEN community event Corporate EQ: Fear At The Workplace. Dorothea is in pursuit of a career as a civil rights lawyer, with a social goal of finally giving back to those people who have given so much to her. Her experience at our event, which coincided with her final days before earning her degree, has clearly provided her with the optimism and confidence needed to set her goals in motion. Read about it here, in her own words, and think about experiencing one of our events for yourself. -Deborah
Attending the 2015 DRIVEN community event Fear At The Workplace was a unique and refreshing experience for me. Keep in mind that not only was I still a student at the time, but I’m the first person in my family to even attend college. Interactions with executives like the ones I met that day were unfathomable to me before the event. My eyes have been opened to a whole new world where people are professional, friendly and encouraging at the same time….quite an enlightening perspective for someone whose only perception of the business world had come from TV.
Walking into the event, which doubled as a business networking space, made me very nervous. But soon I realized that the people in attendance were receptive and amazing. For the first time in my life, I saw myself fitting into a world that I had previously considered very foreign. Meeting these folks revealed to me that there is no one set formula for becoming successful. Everyone seemed to have their own sense of “hustle”….lawyers, business owners, and students alike. There was a seamless coexistence in the room despite the different roads taken by everyone to get where they were in their careers.
The encouragement I received during the event allowed me to “put myself out there” and even speak in front of the group! This was all very new territory, but served to light a fire of inspiration under me that continues to burn. In the end, I left the event with the renewed confidence that I could pursue my goals ambitiously, and ignore many of the obstacles that fear has tried to place in front of me.
Since graduating from college and seeking employment, I have carried with me the experience of that special day. Understanding that I can choose from a variety of avenues in pursuing a career has led me to become creative and resilient when considering my dreams. I feel fortunate and appreciative to have been in attendance at the Fear event, and would return again without hesitation! Whether you have fears, reservations, imposter syndrome, or none of the above, I urge you to take the opportunity to attend a future DRIVEN event. It was particularly inspiring for a kid like me, who, up until that point, hadn’t had the chance to see much else beyond the old neighborhood. Just imagine what it could do for you!