Megan: Okay, so I know that I say that I’m often excited to kick off a SheBoss interview, but this one holds a very special place in my heart for a variety of reasons. Anybody who tunes into this podcast knows exactly why because we’ve got Jennifer Linton here joining us who is the executive director of the Women’s Economic Development Council Foundation, so I’m so glad that you’re here and you’re and she also happens to be one of my most favorite people in the world So and she’s absolutely gorgeous.
Megan: So, thank you so much for being here. I just love you so much. I’m so glad that you’re here Is this way overdue too. Because when I think of uh what this show really stands for and what we try to use flourish as a vehicle to help promote other women in business Like if there’s a handful of women that come to mind like you just sit right there at the top and you’ve always been that way, which I just love so much.
Megan: So, I’m so glad that you are here joining us today. So, cheers, cheers to you. And thank you. We’re finally going to drink our wine. What’s been sitting here tempting us for the last couple of minutes. So glad that you’re here. So, I know all about you and your background, but one of the, one of the many, many things that you have been able to be involved in your career is being such an advocate for women in so many ways, and we’re going to talk about.
Megan: The Women’s Economic Development Council and its foundation that Jennifer runs. It, it’s such an amazing organization. I’ve been involved with it for a couple of years now as a, as a mentor too, which is so fun. Um, and it’s, it’s just this pivotal organization that is helping to create generational impacts within our community, which are just amazing.
Megan: So, we’re going to talk about that in just a second. And we’re also going to talk about ways where you can recognize a fellow woman in your life who you think might deserve that recognition of being an honoree, and we’ll talk about what that means in just a minute. But first, let’s dine into you and learn a little bit about you.
Megan: You’re one of the few people here that actually can call Huntsville home, too, which you don’t often find. So, let’s just kind of start at the beginning and give us a little bit of background on you and kind of what your, what your path led you to and kind of we’ll work from there.
Jennifer: So. Wow. Um, yes.
Jennifer: Huntsville native. Born in Huntsville Hospital, uh, graduated from Huntsville High, uh, it’s, it’s always fun to see people around, like Danielle, one of your, um, employees. I know you guys went to high school together. High school together. And, you know, I can walk to the end of my street and see, um, my best friend from high school, uh, a few houses down.
Jennifer: And so. That’s awesome. It’s just, it’s, it’s really nice to be from here. And I, I moved away for, Over a decade. So, I had that opportunity to travel and learn and, um, broaden my horizons. Uh, and I never thought I’d be back here, but here
Megan: I am. Right, right. I love to hear those stories of people who are from Huntsville and then they go do their thing and they eventually come back and, and that you, you hear those stories pretty often, you know, which I think is just a beautiful thing.
Megan: But where did you go on your journeys when you left? Um,
Jennifer: uh, after college, which I went to school in Mississippi. Um, after that I went to Charleston. South Carolina, lived on the beach on Folly for
Jennifer: While. And then from there I went to Asheville, North Carolina. So, beach to mountains. That is a beautiful city.
Jennifer: Yeah.
Megan: I could totally see you in Asheville too. Like that’s your vibe. That is totally your vibe. It was great. Great city.
Jennifer: And then we took a little side route to Greensboro, North Carolina, before we headed off to the desert and Phoenix, Arizona. Um, and after that, we decided that one, we’d run out of money and our savings, and, um, it was time to come back to Huntsville, try to get back on our feet, and we didn’t leave.
Jennifer: Yeah. So, what was it that kept you here when you got, when you got back, um, or what drew you back actually, out of curiosity? My mom was very great at finding a place that we could afford for rent and to get back on our feet. You know, kept us here. We got good jobs. We ended up buying a house and that was around the time that, you know, the breweries came about, you know, all the things that I had dreamed about not, well, I don’t know about the breweries dreaming about, but, um, you know, as a high school student and kind of, you know, I’m getting out of Huntsville and I’m never coming back.
Jennifer: You know, it’s, there’s no water around here. There’s no ocean, you know, all the fun things. And, um, coming back and as Huntsville kind of really started to kick off with, you know, their downtown was no, the downtown was no longer law offices and bail bondsman’s, just things that became so great and making Huntsville what it is now, that it seems silly to go somewhere else when this one was such a good fit.
Jennifer: What year is it when you guys moved back here? We moved back in December of 2010. Okay. So quite right ahead of the April 27th tornadoes. Yeah. Oh, moisture. Well, this is, you know, a reminder of my younger years.
Megan: I bet. Were you, so were you, I mean, obviously you lived through lots of grassy things. The
Jennifer: November 15th ones were like, you know, took out Airport Road and so I, I was well aware of what to expect with the weather in Huntsville.
Jennifer: Yeah.
Megan: A lot of people, um, and most of our, our, most of our listeners are here in North Alabama, but some of them are not. And, you know, Huntsville is in the Tennessee Valley, which is known for significant severe weather. I mean, where you’ve got the cold that meets the warm, and that just results in crazy, severe storms.
Megan: Um, and that April 27th date, I think, and you know, statistics are a little fuzzy depending on your source, but I remember a state where it was, I think, over 150 tornadoes touched down in this state within a 24-hour period. Um, and that was the first time for me personally. I’m sure you guys were in the same boat where we lost power for five days.
Megan: It is completely. And there’s something odd about living in in the complete dark, especially when you’re at the foot of a mountain or on top of a mountain or, you know, I mean, it’s just that was a scary time it was. There were, there was elements of it that I was like, this is kind of cool. And then there were moments where it freaked me out.
Jennifer: So we were in a little rental, um, over, you know, off Jordan Lane. And so, we didn’t really know anyone around us. So, it gave us the opportunity to get outside and meet our neighbors and borrow things from them since we didn’t have a whole lot. And it was, that’s what I love is being able to walk outside.
Jennifer: We looked at the stars. Um, one of the neighbors we met had a huge telescope. He was a NASA, you know, employee. And so, we. We had that, we had those times where you can just appreciate, um, where, where we are, what, what we live in, as opposed to being distracted with all the technology and the TV and the jobs.
Jennifer: Yes.
Megan: It was really nice to have that pause for a second. You know, I, I remember, uh, so. Interesting story. The day that, on April 27th, was the day that I got my gallbladder removed. And so I woke up in Huntsville Hospital and all of the nurses were freaking out because, and it was, the hospital was on a generator, running on a generator, and you just heard these crazy stories of schools, you know, being devastated or, you know, potentially at risk and whatnot, and I’m just high on life coming out of NSV, so I go home and I’m like, this is great, you know, and my husband at the time was like, you need to be up and at them because I cannot handle these kids, you know, um, and all the kids in the neighborhood were just moving around from house to house to house, right?
Megan: Because it, you know, um, it was a really, really interesting time and it was scary, but it was nice, and it was a good pause. Yeah. And you know, it was just. All sorts of emotions, but this city has, and I think they got hit early on prior to April, but they don’t mess around when it comes to their weather.
Megan: They do not mess around. Yeah. And if anybody has listened to one of our former episodes of Grayson, I know you know her. I mean, if she, she is the absolute best. And, um, just so, uh, her energy is just insane. I mean, and she’s so smart. Um, and I know she just loves to geek out over stuff like that, you know, um, and hearing it from her perspective is just, I don’t know, it’s just fascinating, you know, but it’s a crazy talent in that regard.
Megan: There really is. There really is. So, talk to us a little bit about your kind of career path and what you, what you wanted to do when you were younger and what you studied and kind of what that journey looked like a little bit.
Jennifer: So, I had, I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up, but, you know, I went to college because I was the first female in my family to graduate from college.
Jennifer: So, you know, I felt that was the path that my mom wanted me to go on. It was very important for me to do that either. I knew that there was no other option and not in a bad way, just this was what I was meant to do, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. So, I, um, you know, through college, I, I was in school.
Jennifer: I went, uh, it’s for education. I went for communications. I was going to be a broadcaster. Um. And neither of those things worked out. I loved theater. I had been involved in theater in high school and then in college, um, and English. So, I ended up with an English degree and a minor in public relations and theater.
Jennifer: So, which It’s like a combination.
Jennifer: Yeah, because I kind of just pulled, you know, pulled all the, the classes that I had together and it was going to be a double major theater in English, but I did not want to stay one semester for a theater history class. So, minor it was, but, um, so I will. I left there and when I moved to Charleston, South Carolina, didn’t really know what I was going to do with a degree in English, but not an education degree.
Jennifer: Um, and so I started working for a grocery store or fair, which, um, was in Charleston, home office in Asheville. So, um, I worked for them there and then when I moved to Asheville, I worked for the home office and kind of, uh, helped them open up stores. I was, uh, the front-end manager, um, at a, at the Greensboro location.
Jennifer: So, I worked in a grocery store, a health food grocery store for about eight years. In that time, I was also, um, I got licensed as a massage therapist. So, I had, again, I had no idea what I wanted to do. So, I was just trying all the things. Um, So, from, from there, we ended up, when we moved to Phoenix, um, I was retired for, which is part of why we are out of St.
Jennifer: Vickie’s, I, um, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do and how long we were staying. So, I, when I commit to something I’m in, you know, I worked for the grocery store for eight years. Um, later on. You know, when I worked for a nonprofit here in Huntsville, I worked there for, for eight years. So, it’s, I just didn’t feel like I could step into a job just yet until I knew we were going to stay there.
Jennifer: So, I, um, helped walk dogs, uh, uh, kill, uh, kill rescue and, uh, play bingo. Enjoy the lives. Yeah. I love bingo. So, I just enjoyed the life until we figured out that we were not staying and that’s how I came here. So. And from moving to Huntsville, um, I worked for a, um, home builder for a short period of time.
Jennifer: And then from there I stepped into my role at Heels. Um, so that’s kind of what I really fully stepped into. The nonprofit world, um, further than some summer jobs and, and volunteering. And I worked for HEALS for eight years.
Megan: Um, and that’s an amazing organization. HEALS, talk a little bit about what they do.
Megan: As sure as that they provide.
Jennifer: Um, it stands for Health Establishments at Local Schools. And they, um, have medical, dental, and optometry clinics at local Title I schools. Both in Huntsville and Madison County. And I think. Past my time. I think they’re moving into the Madison City area and they’re um, they’re big fundraiser.
Megan: Oh, it’s so much fun.
Megan: Yes, so much fun Yeah, I think that’s one of the most likes looked look, you know, sought after events. It’s very like a layer people ever fighting where you know I think there’s a local celebrity that he will kind of team up with professional dancers, very similar to Dancing with the Stars. But and it is a full-on production. I love it so much. I just, I love it. Yeah.
Jennifer: It’s a lot of fun. And so, I got to put that, you know, I learned from my, um, my executive director, Connie, uh, Connie Carnes, uh, now Connie Watkins. She brought me into heels and then I, you know, I Learned so much from her for the time that she was there and then she retired and you know, I continued on her new directors, but I ran the stars dancing for heels event for a good number of years and Learned a whole lot Before I decided it was time for me to move on and I think nonprofit is so
Megan: rich with Opportunity from a growing and development perspective.
Megan: Absolutely. I mean, it’s you have to do All the things on a very limited budget and, you know, be, I mean, just put where so many different hats that it’s just, I don’t know, you become just so skilled and well rounded. I come in a very short period of time and you’re doing it for a great cause, which just makes it that much better.
Megan: You know, it makes it easy to I think to work really hard when you know that you’re helping kids who otherwise wouldn’t receive these types of services, but, um, you totally killed it, too, when you were with HEALS. I mean, it was such an amazing organization, and they’re so, I mean, it was just, yeah, it was just awesome.
Megan: It’s such a, I mean, that was such a, but that was a big highlight of your career.
Jennifer: Absolutely. Well, and it, and it, through the event. I was able to be introduced with a lot of amazing people in the community, like Kim Lewis and Ginger Harper, who would serve on, you know, dance, but also served on the board, um, of heels along with many others.
Jennifer: And so, um, it was, I think it was a. So, I think that’s a great base for me to, to move on and, and into another position in the nonprofit world. And, you know, my degree in English, PR and theater is fantastic. Absolutely. And putting on a major event and, you know, so it. It worked out. Yeah.
Megan: I have a question to ask you a little bit off, you know, on the spot, but looking back at some of the dancers that you had a chance to interact with, not the professional ones, uh, but the nonprofessional ones, who surprised you the most of being able ladies, not the most skilled, but who just surprised you the most with their performance?
Megan: Because these are everyday people who don’t typically dance, right? Right. You know, and then they get up there and it’s, it’s. Blows your mind with some of these, you know, what they can do. So, is it new to stand out? You’re giving, I’m
Jennifer: having to go way back. That’s been five, five or less years ago. Um, Oh gosh. I think, I don’t know that I can zero in on one person, but I think watching them do something so scary.
Megan: Yeah.
Jennifer: Because they have a heart for the mission, and they want to raise as much money as they can. You know, for that mission that, you know, they could put in the work, they could make a fool, um, or not fool, depending on who it was, and, and it was all in fun and appreciation. Um, I always loved the, the dances that were not typical ballroom.
Megan: Yeah.
Jennifer: Um, there, those were some of my favorites, and I can’t, I can’t remember names right now, but There are some, some really fun ones that kind of, you know, went off into a, a more theatrical realm. Yes. Yeah. And that, those are the ones I really, really
Megan: appreciate. I really liked. I’ve, I’ve had a chance to go to two events and I was blown away at the creativity behind it.
Megan: I mean, they’re just, they’re so much fun and it is such a great event to get to. So yeah,
Jennifer: the professionals, the professional dancers in this community are. Amazing. Who knew, really? I know! Like, who knew? That’s just awesome. So, then you joined the WEDC Foundation. So yes, so I was, um, honored to, uh, to be asked to.
Jennifer: Um, I didn’t even know what the WEDC Foundation was. I hadn’t heard of it before, even though they’ve been around since 1998. So um, I, you know, kind of stepped in and learned as I was, as I was, um, interviewing for it, but it seems like such a logical fit for me. Um, you know, I could have easily been one of the scholars that we support and empower through the organization.
Jennifer: Um, you know, being a, uh, having a single mom, being the first female in our family to, to graduate college, um, always wanting and needing that mentoring that, um, you know, You know, I always gravitated towards older women that had some knowledge and experience, you know, even though it was never an official mentoring relationship, I kind of gleaned that from, from the women that I encountered from high school, college and on.
Jennifer: So, knowing that the importance of That it would be for my life. It seems it’s such a great fit for me because I’m able to help all of the, all of our scholars, these women get those tools that I
Megan: would have greatly appreciated. Right, right. And so, the foundation is the nonprofit arm of the Women’s Economic Development Council.
Jennifer: Yes, we are two separate organizations. So, they’re a membership organization, but they founded us back in 98 to support and empower women. women scholars, collegiate women here in North Alabama. So kind of with the idea that they need, they needed that hand up to be able to become in the financially independent, to break potentially a cycle of poverty, and to also be that first female in their family so that their children and the generations to come, you know, they, they have that, that path already put forward for them.
Jennifer: Um, and, you know, maybe there’ll be WEDC members one day as they become, you know, pivotal, uh, members of our community. Yeah. Yeah. What
Megan: would, and, and we’ve had ALGA. On as well, um, with the on foundation who, um, you know, is doing amazing things with that organization to talk to us a little bit about what, what are some of the common challenges that you see with some of the stories.
Megan: So, we’re scholars that come in, I think that’s, it’s those unique individual stories that, you know, hearing from some of the scholars at women honoring women, which we’ll talk about a little bit, it is. It’s just mind blowing how a lot of people, not just women, are potentially one paycheck away from losing their home or, you know, whatever it may be.
Megan: So, talk to us just a little bit about that. Sure.
Jennifer: We, um, we have a very diverse group of women in our program. They’re 19 years of age and older. You know, we had Pamela, who spoke two years ago, Women Honoring Women, and she was 54, um, when she graduated with her degree with us. And so, You know, in her story, she had a whole life, a whole family ahead of going to school, um, for her degree in criminal justice, seeing as she had served as a prison guard, um, because she watched her youngest brother go into prison and she wanted to make sure, you know, she understood on the other side what he, you know, was having to deal with.
Jennifer: Um, and that was her path to, to a degree in criminal justice. Um, we have, uh, women that have, you know, endured. of parents and, um, whether they were foster, foster kids and adopted, or, you know, they had a grandparent that, that took them in and tried to navigate, you know, this world and bring them up, um, as best as they could.
Jennifer: And so, you know, some of our, some of our scholars are those First generation students that, you know, they left, they left a toxic environment, um, at home and moved to Huntsville, or started here, um, Huntsville and, and went to school and, and did it all on their own, you know, yeah. By the bootstraps kind of thing and said I’ve gotta make a change for myself.
Jennifer: And so, they did it and we are the just there to help them along,
Megan: which is amazing. I mean, you guys provide so many resources for them and so much mentorship and guidance. And I agree with you about, you know, having, having someone in your life that can just help kind of guide you, you know what I’m saying?
Megan: I would be curious, kind of going back to your story, um, or what you mentioned about your mom, um, just being a single mom and you kind of always gravitating towards an older woman, you know, like what, what was it about the relationship that you had with your mom that you think really kind of planted that seed for you?
Megan: I mean, she, she
Jennifer: let me know that I didn’t have to rely on anybody else but myself. Yeah. You know, we have to move a big piece, a big, a couch. We could do that. You can grab another girlfriend and say, all right, I got to move this couch. And like, we don’t need a guy to take care of that. We, we don’t need to rely on anybody else to be able to do those hard things.
Jennifer: Yeah. Um, so. You know, I took her, her guidance and watched her struggle and make the hard choices so that I had the opportunities that, you know, she wanted me to have. So, and she, you know, never, I’m sure she said no many times. Yeah. I’m ready to do that though, right? But she, you know, she always did her best to give me the opportunities that I needed.
Megan: Yeah. Yeah, and I love how that has come full circle for you now because I think they’re, you know, not that it’s the direct mission of the foundation by any means, but it’s other women helping other women, right? And women being there for, for each other and just creating a safe environment where they know that they can be supported regardless of what happens, you know?
Megan: Um, and so the, the women, um, Women Honoring Women event is a fundraiser that you guys do every year. Yes. And that’s a phenomenal organization or phenomenal. opportunity where many, many just beautiful, amazing women, um, are highlighted throughout the course of the year. They’re chosen and they’re actual, you know, honorees that get honored throughout the course of the year and, and they help fundraise a little bit for the foundation too and where the event fundraises and, you know, talk to us a little bit about like what that process looks like.
Jennifer: Sure. So, we are asking, you know, our community. It’s women honoring women. It doesn’t have to be a woman who nominates, but we are asking members of the community, men and women alike to put forward a remarkable woman that has over potentially overcome things. I mean, I feel like all women have overcome things, but, um, you know, are making a difference in our community or making strides in our community to make it better, um, that possibly have mentored or serve as, um, some kind of role model for others.
Jennifer: And that we. We want to highlight them. Because it’s important to recognize the accomplishments of women here. Um, not only because we should do that anyway, but it, our scholars get to come to the event. And so, it shows them that it doesn’t matter where you start. You can be the woman on that stage. You can, you know, achieve the things, the dreams that you have.
Jennifer: So, nominations are open, um, now through March 8th, which is International Women’s Day. And we, we need those because that, that’s the pool, um, that we, not me, a secret committee, um, chooses from to, to select the honorees, um, for, for this year and for every year. And then they speak on stage after we announced them in April.
Jennifer: And so, um, and then the event is September 18th, so kind of, they, they get time to see what the organization does, to get to know each other, um, and then speak and share their words of wisdom on
Megan: stage, which are tougher. Which are so impactful. I, I had the, it worked out so well where my mom happened to have been in town, I don’t know if you remember.
Megan: Yeah, that’s right. My mom was there. And so, she had a chance to come to the event and she was blown away at not only the event, yeah. Thanks. Absolutely gorgeous, and you guys do such an amazing job at the event. You can tell that it’s put on by women because every little detail is like perfection. Um, but to sit back and, and, you know, enjoy yourself, but listen to these stories of just encouragement and inspiration and, and not everybody’s had a super difficult road, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t faced challenges that they’ve overcome.
Megan: And, um, it’s, you know, Truly, and I’m not just saying this to spire you up by any means, but that, that very similar mission is, is kind of why we wanted to start this podcast, right, was to really talk about that and, and, and allow for an opportunity for that, those discussions to be heard beyond just maybe what you learn about somebody through social media or online or something like that, you know?
Megan: So, I love the up close and personal opportunity you get to really hear from them, you know, personally. And before we got started, um, Jennifer was telling me that we realized that there’s about six or seven of our current She Boss interviewees who are also women honor, honoring women honorees, which is pretty awesome.
Megan: So, Veronica was the other one, maybe. Not yet. Hasn’t aired yet. Not yet. Yes. Oh, the nomination. Nominate. Oh, I’m definitely nominating Veronica. Are you kidding me? Veronica Crams. She’s amazing. Um, but it’s, it’s, yeah, it’s just such a great event, but, um, it’s just phenomenal. So, March 8. The nomination window closes.
Megan: Yes. Yes. So, if you know a woman in our community who is doing amazing things, um, you know, and has given back to our community, has volunteered her time, I mean, whatever the case may be, what makes a good honoree?
Jennifer: Well, she doesn’t necessarily have to be that immediate woman, you know, the one that’s always in the news or, you know, being recognized in other places.
Jennifer: She may be the one who’s behind the seats, right? That doesn’t get the recognition that she truly deserves. So, you know, we try to have a balance of that. Um, so. you know, a great honoree. Um, there’s so, there’s so many women, but yeah, no, I don’t know that, that I can say there’s just, there are so many amazing women in this community that we, you know, the, the, the event, this is the 24th year of this event.
Jennifer: 24 years. Yes. So, I, you know, and I feel like it can go on and on because of all of the amazing women, you know. The women on the, I know they can’t see this, but the women on the wall, the She Boss women so far and the rest of them that you were going to interview, there are so many to choose from. It’s, uh, it can be hard.
Jennifer: Yeah. It can be hard, but we have to have the nominations. Yeah. In order. to select. Yeah.
Megan: And so, let’s talk a little bit about the, um, the scholars and the mentoring program that you offer as well, because that’s been, um, that’s just a, my first year doing it, but it’s been a really, really cool experience.
Megan: And so, um, scholars get matched with mentors, right, throughout the course of the year. And, um, you know, full transparency, I, I didn’t really know what to expect going into that program, but there’s opportunities for engagement throughout the year. Right. Which, I mean, from everything from I mean, financial workshops, which I know is coming up to, um, you know, learning about table manners and etiquette class, which I totally failed, by the way.
Megan: And we were all talking today during our luncheon about etiquette, because some of us have been through etiquette class and some of us Um, we’re not doing very well at it, but it just, I made me think about that, but there’s just little things like that that you just may not think about that, you know, some are just not exposed to those types of things.
Megan: Right. Um, and so talk to us a little bit about that program and like really what, uh, what a mentee can kind of expect out of that. And also, who makes a good mentee, I think, they’re sure. So
Jennifer: our, our scholars are, um, they, the application is also open and that’s through the end of March. So, March 31st, that closes.
Jennifer: Um, They, 19 years of age or older, they have to attend a Sachs Accredited University, which is any of the universities here in Huntsville that you, that you think of, um, it just means it’s, it’s locally based. So, um, we don’t go as far as UNA, um, and we don’t go as South as well as state, but UAH, Athens, A& M, Oakwood, uh, Drake State.
Jennifer: I know I’m missing; I’m missing my head too. Calhoun one of them. Mm-hmm. Yes. So, in fact, Calhoun even has scholarships for, um, Zoar Scholars if they’re taking full-time hours with them. They say amazing. So, um, they have to have, um, take at least five credit hours a semester and have a 2.5 GPA or greater. Um.
Jennifer: There’s some more to that, but those are kind of the basics, and they are all, um, at 2. 5 times the federal poverty level or below. So, that for 2025 is about, for a household of one, that’s about 37, 000 a year.
Megan: Wow.
Jennifer: So, um. They, the benefits that they receive, like you mentioned, um, is a mentor one on one, and we usually match based on field of study.
Jennifer: That’s not always the case, and they hopefully are together throughout the time that the scholar is in the program. So that’s an average of about a year and a half. Two years, depending on when she graduates. Yeah, they’re working on their associate or bachelor’s degree. So, if they’re if they’re going for an associates, they can roll into the bachelors and stay with us.
Jennifer: It’s a possibility beyond the mentoring, which, you know, you all meet once a month face to face along with. The workshop attendance. So, we have four workshops a year, finance, resume, and interview skills, which we do mock interviews. So, everybody needs, everybody needs practice. That’s really helpful. Um, the, the business and dining etiquette, that’s.
Jennifer: The funnest one because it’s a lot of fun. It’s, I mean, we’re all, we’re all learning and forgetting and remembering and like, oh yeah, that’s where the fork
Megan (2): in there sings. It was like, that’s why all those forks are there. Yeah.
Jennifer: It’s, but it’s fun. Um, you know, learning that when you put your name tag on, when you go to a networking event, that it goes on.
Jennifer: The right side, because you’re presenting, yeah, even though so many people put it on the left, but it goes on the right because you’re presenting your, you know, so you’re presenting the shoulder with your name tag on it. Who knew? Oh, it’s just the little things, um, but it’s, the great thing about etiquette is that it’s just respect for others.
Jennifer: Yeah, it’s not like you’re ever doing things wrong. How dare you it’s just showing respect for others Yeah, so it that’s a very fun workshop. And then the other workshop we do is self-care and that changes every year We all need to be reminded. Yeah, I think we did what yoga and meditation and journaling this past, this past semester, so workshops are great mentors and scholars come together.
Jennifer: And then in addition to that, they get a scholarship. So, 2, 000 every fall and spring semester paid directly to them. That is awesome. Um, and they get academic bonuses, participation bonuses. They get to come to Women Honoring Women, um, and other, you know, social networking events, graduation celebrations.
Jennifer: When they graduate, they get a strand of pearls, uh, so to signify all of the hard work and determination that they’ve, uh, achieved and the degree that they love at Canal. Put them forward in the in the
Megan: world. So, I mean, thinking back to when, you know, you and I were, you know, graduating college, right? What that looked like.
Megan: I mean, it’s and I know we’ve got, you know, some of our team here are not too far off from that. But that’s a scary time, you know, when you’re sort of going into the world as you know, on your own. And if you don’t have Some, I know a lot of them do, but if you don’t have that support system already kind of baked in, you know, and solidified, the WEZC Foundation sort of acts as that, I think, and really opens up opportunities to not only learn about yourself but create these lifelong connections.
Megan: And I mean, and it’s not about, you know, it is about who you know but just opening doors and challenging you in the right ways and, um, just seeing things from a different perspective, which sometimes you just don’t get a chance to get, you know, so it’s, it’s been awesome. You’re not alone. That’s true. I know.
Megan: That’s right. That you’re not isolated. That’s true. And life can feel really, really lonely at times where you feel like you’re on an island a little bit, you know? So, I think having people on your corner, not only from a mentoring perspective, but the scholars with the other scholars. You know, they immediately kind of create this camaraderie and community, which is just awesome.
Megan: Um, so how can people get involved and support the foundation? Because this is something where, you know, 2, 000 a semester is huge. And, you know, if you’ve ever been to one of these events, as I mentioned earlier, you can hear these stories, how a lot of these women, as are a lot of people just in general, but unfortunately the.
Megan: There are hard times, right? And you’re, you may be one step away from, from something. And I know, you know, Alka has shared that story about the parking ticket, you know, and how, you know, it’s just one parking ticket that you couldn’t afford to pay and just the, the repercussions and implications of that rippling effect and what kind of impact that can have.
Megan: So, uh, not to say that it’s little and it’s not undermining its impact, but a little bit goes a long way. Um, so how can people support the foundation? What are different ways? Um, of course, financial side of that
Jennifer: and so, what you can do donations. Yeah, we have a monthly donor program, you know, so small amounts are the right fit.
Jennifer: Then you could become one of our pearls, our monthly donors and share your pearl of wisdom, um, along with, uh, Some money. Every month we have endowments, a named endowment that goes directly into the finance, the scholarship and academic bonuses that helps grow that so that we that’s a lasting, um, kind of a legacy giving, um, Women Honoring Women, sponsorships, attendance, um, to that event on September 18th.
Jennifer: That event is always such a
Megan: fantastic, really, it’s a great event. So, I mean, there’s a, there’s a lot of things in this town that one could choose to sponsor. Um, but that is one that is very, very, Targeted and rich and, um, and I, when I say rich, I just mean rich and the quality of the content, you know, there’s a lot of events here that you just kind of go to show your face and you’re out, right?
Megan: Right. That is not one of them. I mean, it’s one that you leave feeling inspired in so many ways. Um, and hearing the stories, you know, of the scholars. I mean, brings tears to your eyes. I mean, almost every single time. And it’s just, it’s awesome. That’s so awesome to hear that. Yeah.
Jennifer: Yeah. That’s a good thing.
Jennifer: It’s a great place to be in September. Yeah. Um, beyond the financial components, um, we’re always looking for mentors, especially, you know, since we do match on field of study, a variety of, um, mentors with different experiences. You know, this, this past year I was for a mentor who had sports management experience, you know, for, for a scholar that was coming in.
Jennifer: Um, so, and that was a hunt that, that’s so find somebody. Um, so mentoring, they can go on the website and just submit on the mentoring page, their interest. And then I do a little 45-minute zoom chat, learn about them, share about the organization. Um, you know, board. Board members, of course, uh, nonprofit, we have a board.
Jennifer: Um, so board service and then facilitators for our workshops. We don’t want to, uh, give the same information every time. And I’m going to change it up, make it different. Um, even though our scholars as they, you know, they change as they graduate, we have, uh, 25 scholars start every fall semester and then they graduate, um, though.
Jennifer: Uh, fall and spring, a few of them, and so then we bring it back up to 25 based on whatever that, that number is. So typically, this year, we’ll have about 10 spots to bring it back to 25. Alright, so
Megan: That’s awesome. Yeah. Yeah. So, support the foundation. Yeah. Hires No Doubt. Absolutely. It’s a great organization.
Megan: So, any big plans for the 25th
Jennifer: anniversary? Of the event? For next year? I
Megan: don’t
Jennifer: know yet. I’m still working on this year. Yeah. September, September 18th. September 18th. Okay. Mark your calendars. That’d be a good one. Speaking of, y’all helped us put together our 20th Women Honoring Women. We did. And so that was, that was fantastic.
Jennifer: That was a lot of fun. Kicked us off. Yeah. That was a lot of fun. For a great time. Beautiful logos. I
Megan: know. I’m like, how is that? I can’t. Look, that was 20 years.
Megan (2): Ah, time flies. We’re having fun, right? She’s just a kid. Bye. Wow. That’s insane.
Megan: It’s, it’s such an amazing organization. Um, but it, it wouldn’t happen without, you know, you’re kind of, and your team, you know, being behind the scenes and being instrumental to all of that.
Megan: And it’s just bringing light to such a, such a great
Jennifer: cause. Thank you. I, I, I, since. This organization has been around for so long. It is definitely on the shoulders of so many women in this community that it exists, that it does what it does. So, you know, I am honored to be able to run it and, you know, be there for the last five years, but there are so many women that have had their hands in the impact of this foundation that, you know, it’s, it is.
Megan: Definitely a community organization. Yeah. And I love it too because I would imagine, um, without you outright saying it, they, that they hand down do it for the right reasons. It is nothing beyond that. Then to create an, an open door and a pathway for women who may not have those opportunities, you know, which is just awesome.
Megan: And when you hear those stories, you can truly see how that impact is just unfolding and, you know, it’s, it’s lifelong. Yeah. There’s no doubt about that.
Jennifer: It’s so often. teaches our scholars, and, and not just our scholars, our mentors, you know, our board even, that we don’t have to compete with each other.
Jennifer: Yeah. You know, that, you know, one of our, our, uh, grad, scholar graduates years back, she, she said this is the first time in her life that she’s ever been around a group of women and felt no negative intent. I mean, that’s, that’s huge to change, change that mindset. Yeah. You know, we are not each other’s competition.
Jennifer: No. We. Should just collaborate. We should lift each other’s lift each other up. Yeah, we need to be each
Megan: other’s cheerleaders, especially now You know, the not that we’re gonna get into it, but, you know, the changing climate and, um, you know, I mean, even something is, uh, you know, with D. E. I. Efforts going away.
Megan: And, you know, we women, I think, in general, whether it’s in the work workforce or not, need to be, um, cheerleaders of each other and supporting each other and the best possible ways that we can. Otherwise, we will. We will take step backs, you know, and I think that’s gonna happen, unfortunately, like. Um, which is devastating, um, but, uh, I think now more so than ever, you know, we’ve all got to stand up and really ensure that we’re not allowing that to happen, right?
Megan: You know, cause change can happen from our, at our level. There is no doubt about it as, as it’s definitely happening at your level with what you guys are doing. So, kudos to you for that. I’m so excited. Thank you so much for sitting down with us and chatting with us right now. The epitome of SheBoss, Jennifer Linton is the best, I just adore you.
Megan: So, thank you so much for joining us today. I really so appreciate it. See you guys later.