Women's History Month
As part of Women’s History Month 2023, the Veradigm team celebrated by challenging associates to share stories about the women who have inspired us professionally. For every response, we made a donation to Dress for Success. Dress for Success is a global not-for-profit organization that empowers women to achieve economic development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to 143 cities in 23 countries and has helped more than 1.3 million women.
As part of this challenge, we received many inspiring responses sharing the stories of impact that women have created in our associates’ professional lives. We would like to share a few with you here:
“The female that impacted me professionally was my grandmother. She inspired me as she went to college late in life and because of that dedication she went on to manage a large department in a hospital in Florida. I remember when I was a teenager in high school she would come to visit, and she would be doing her college homework. Thinking about her dedication and perseverance made me pursue my college career just as I was about to turn forty.”
“During my first internship in college, I had an Account Manager who really saw my potential and took me under her wing. She asked me about what I was interested in specifically and gave me the tools needed to execute something I was passionate about, as well as mentor me throughout the entire internship. My first thought during the internship was that I would be given busy work, but this woman on my team–who was not even my direct leader–made me feel like my skills and passions really mattered and that they could be impactful to the organization. I still am connected with her to this day, and we celebrate small victories together. It is women like that who make you realize we are and always will be capable of anything!”
“I had a senior director whom I reported to. She was a mentor in so many ways. She was sophisticated, professional, fearless, and powerful. She taught me to stand my ground, stretch my limits and do what was right, regardless of the challenges that I faced. I am grateful to have known and worked with and for her.”
“One of my Graduate school Professors made an impact on me both personally and professionally. She delivered her lessons with such eloquence, making even the most difficult topics easy to digest. She was the true embodiment of an empathetic leader; she began every class asking how everyone was doing and genuinely cared for our wellbeing. Her leadership style is what I aim to achieve in my role today and I aspire to be as confident of a speaker as she is.”
“My mother has made a big impact in my life personally and professionally. She was an educator and an administrator in the Nashville Public School System for over 30 years. She was dedicated to her students, teachers, and peers. She rose to everyone challenge and challenged everyone to always try their best. She led with intelligence, grace, and empathy. She was an incredible role model for me professionally.”
“I am a second-generation immigrant who has always looked up to my older cousin. My cousin was the first in her family to attend college in the US, and she had a successful career as a financial analyst. I admired my cousin’s intelligence, work ethic, and determination, and often sought her guidance when it came to making important career decisions. When I graduated from college, I turned to my cousin for help. She always listened attentively to my goals and aspirations and offered her valuable insights and advice on how to achieve them. I am grateful for my cousin’s guidance and support.”
“I have had the privilege of working with some amazing women over the course of my career. My very first mentor made a huge difference in my life. She not only taught me Microsoft office tips and tricks which have lasted a lifetime, she also taught me the importance of sharing what you know. I often think about how her willingness to share made such a difference in my life. She could have held all of her knowledge to herself and just watched me flounder. But she graciously leaned in and helped an inexperienced coworker grow. I cherish her memory by modeling the same behavior. We benefit in the long run when we can help someone else.”
“I started in the corporate environment as an entry level admin for a commercial insurance company without any experience. The manager who hired me later became the manager of the new claims system working closely with the development and engineering teams. In those same years, I had moved up in my role working closely with lawyers and claims adjusters. I saw my old manager was leading the team and was happy to apply for the lead technical support role for the new system. Seeing her lead a technical team after working as an admin manager inspired me to learn more about the technical side of the job. I began working with the I.T teams, engineers, and support. it changed the direction of my career.”
“I have worked with several female leaders throughout my career, watched them how they conduct themselves in various work situations - conflict management, setting boundaries, communicate and negotiate. I have learned many good things from all of them. My coach comes to my mind as I write this- she had once told me “No matter where we are, what we do, what we think - we all have a choice. The choice may not be obvious but it’s still there”. This was so helpful especially in situations where there is conflict involving high stakes. Being successful professionally is a challenge for women. There are so many roles’ women are socially expected to play – working woman, motherhood, housework, manage kids, their school and social commitments. Women are expected to be good at all these roles. In the work force, I have seen women outperform, yet are unaware of their contributions. I was fortunate enough to have wonderful female coworkers who are supportive when needed. As women, we need to lift each other up so we all can succeed.”
“My Maths Teacher during my secondary education made an impact on changing my life. She was so powerful and clear about the decisions that must be taken for personal growth and life. I was inspired by her. She guided me to take the right path while choosing between Science and Commerce stream.”
Thank you to all our associates that shared their inspiring stories and making a difference in the lives of women worldwide.