I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Towson University Professional Leadership Program for Women. Listening and learning from the other participants who work in varied organizations was inspiring. It revealed that no matter your background, as women, we all face similar situations in the workplace. I have also expanded my network with a group of amazing professional women. A special thanks to the program leader, Kathleen Case. She promoted self-awareness, and her one-on-one coaching session helped me to apply each of the concepts of the program. I believe the most valuable lesson I learned was to rethink the meaning of the word leadership, and as a result, start thinking of myself as a leader regardless of my position within an organization. The perception I had is that leadership is determined by your title, salary, and how many people report to you, and therefore that term is reserved for a relatively small group. But that is just one aspect of leadership. Leadership is based on my behavior and character on ordinary days. On any given day, if I can promote integrity, empower someone to do their best, make a commitment to strengthen relationships within my team, and make a positive impact on someone, I was a leader on that day. Get up the next day and repeat.

Shereece Singleton, MS
Office Manager, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine