When Women Show Up
Carey Unger, International Vice President, Nu Omicron (Vanderbilt U)
As some of you may know, 2024 was a big year for me. I left my job and moved halfway across the country for a new opportunity, bought a new house, and then capped off all the excitement in early October by getting married! This year has had a fair share of ups and downs, but by my side through them all were women who care deeply for me. As I reflect on those who have encouraged me, helped shape me and have continuously shown up for me, my gratitude cup runneth over.
Taking such a huge leap in my career earlier this year was a transformational life event for me. After twenty years in the same organization where I had developed a reputation and where my relationships ran deep, the notion of starting over was intimidating and scary. During the time period when I was making the decision, we as an Executive Board just so happened to be studying our End, Ambition. It was a reflection conversation with my Board study partner, Chantel, about thriving in the context of change and being comfortable with existing at the bottom of your learning curve that pushed me over the edge to take the plunge. As my decision matured, the entire Board followed up with check ins, words of encouragement and strength, and most importantly the promise of support and grace as I navigated the changes. I have shared before and will continue to publicly celebrate that it is thanks to the encouragement of my fellow Executive Board members, and thanks to the feelings of empowerment that I have strengthened this year as a result of my board service, that I found the courage to lean into this big change.
Despite the million details to attend to, the wedding was a much less intimidating milestone for me. My new husband and I found each other later in life, so we had the unique opportunity to blend lots of different “seasons” of loved ones in our wedding plans. And boy did the women in my life show up in a big way. From serving as cheerleaders throughout the course of our entire relationship, to throwing me celebrations to remind me how loved I am, to showing up at my wedding when I knew they had a million other obligations on their plate, all with a smile and a response of “I wouldn’t miss this for the world”. I was once again reminded of the power of belonging. Through the whole wedding season, I celebrated with college friends and pledge class sisters, sisters I have volunteered alongside through the years, and everyone in between.
I am proud to stand on the shoulders of a community of women, in both the scary times and the celebratory times. From my mother, the first woman role model in my life, to my AP Calculus teacher in high school who instilled in me that I could make a seat for myself at whatever table I wanted in life, I am who I am today because of strong women. To the numerous sisters, advisers and mentors who push me when I need it, who inspire me to be the best version of myself, who encourage me to take risks that I wouldn’t normally take, and who stand alongside me and love me every step of the way….from the bottom of my heart, thank you.