Inclusive Leadership Initiative

Infinite Possibility

Dusya Vera is a flurry of motion. In conversation, she speaks with her hands, often leaning forward to nod or ask a question. Vera’s life, too, is one of constant movement — she is a mother of triplets, and she works full-time as an associate professor of management at Bauer College, producing academic research and teaching graduate-level courses.“Of course I have felt overwhelmed many times, and I still do sometimes,” Vera said. “But the problem with feeling overwhelmed is that we are judging ourselves. So, one thing I repeat to myself is, ‘I am doing the best I can.’”

“I have these humongous hopes and beliefs for my children, and now I have that for my students, too. I see infinite possibility for all of them.”

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The Direction of Her Dreams

Christina Brown isn't afraid to dream big. Now 23, the Bauer College marketing senior still lives her life as she did as a kid growing up in Westchester, New York.

“When you take risks, that's when you grow the most.”

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The Places She'll Go

In previous generations, young women may have had a more limited list of aspirations, or they may have thought of crossing one item from the list in favor of another.But today, as women continue to redefine what it means to be a female in the workplace, girls are envisioning futures for themselves that include a range of responsi-bilities and roles.

“Know your strengths, work on your weakness, and don't let anyone tell you that you cannot do it.”

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Tenacious Taste

Recent Bauer College alumna Rashmi Bhat (BBA ’14) discovered her career path early in life, although she didn’t know it at the time.“’Food’ was my first word as a baby,” she said. “In the back of my mind, I always knew I wanted a restaurant.”

“It is a lot of work, but if you don’t love it, don’t do it.”

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A Life Worth Living

Every corner of Bette Stead’s home tells a story. The framed wildlife photos are from her husband’s trips to Africa. The vintage purses represent her travels to Greenland, Korea and Europe as a member of the Melody Maids, a women’s chorus that performed for the mili-tary overseas during World War II.

“All of our lives go up and down. When I would hit a bump in the road, my aunt would say, ‘Tie another knot in the rope, and hold on.’”

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Back to the Future

Budapest native Emese Felvegi didn’t need to speak a word of English in her childhood home. Her family spoke Hungarian.But that didn’t stop the curious youngster from learning the language — repeat viewings of Star Wars and a passion for The Beatles, along with her more formal education, expanded her vocabulary and her worldview.

“I’m trying to help students pay attention to the world around them and the technology they can leverage for their benefit.”

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In Bloom

We all have different paths that we must take going through college, and Bauer College has really helped transform me into the person I am today.

“Don't stay stuck - do better.”

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Dive In

For management and marketing junior Taylor Olanski, when faced with an uncertain situation, hanging back isn’t an option — it’s best to dive in. The Canada native has faced her fears plenty of times, even at the young age of 18. She moved to Houston in 2013 from her hometown of London, Ontario, to pursue a business education at Bauer College on a diving scholarship.

“I love to compete, test my abilities and put everything I have into the job that I am doing.”

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Engineering Change

Engineering has traditionally been an industry dominated — and led — by men. Bauer MBA candidate Brooke Thomas-Eben is one of many professionals carving out a space in the field for women.

“Be passionate and dedicated about what you seek to pursue, and no obstacle will be too hard for you to overcome.”

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Bridging the Gap

Bethina Campbell, Lola Soyebo Harris and Maria Fernanda Guerrero share many common-alities — they are all Bauer College students and leaders in organizations at the college (Women’s Energy Network, Bauer Women Society and the National Association of Women MBAs, respectively).

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A Fierce Leader

As a Bauer College staff member who has risen through the ranks during her nearly 17-year career, Sara Brown (BS ’99, MBA ’02) has had the opportunity to grow into a leadership role at an organization that feels like home.

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(Em)powering the Future

Celebrating successes and improving the future for women in business was the mission of hundreds of female MBA students and business professionals, including representatives from Bauer College, during this fall’s National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA) 2015 Conference and Career Fair.

"NAWMBA creates an avenue for discussions on these challenges while creating opportunities for networking, mentoring and career development.”

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Run the World

College alumnus Freddy Cruz may not seem to have much in common with the classmates who graduated with him in 2001. Instead of a suit and tie, he wears Converse and jeans to work. And in place of a desk in a corner office, he does his work behind a sound board and a microphone.

"Meeting artists and celebrities is cool, but it’s not the coolest part of the gig. I really like hanging out with Houstonians. I get so excited to share really cool stuff with my listeners."

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Ties that Bind

With her large Italian and Mexican families, Nina Bianchi Skinner (MBA, JD ’01) was never at a loss for playmates or mentors.

"Maintaining relationships, keeping up with people, reconnecting with people: it's important to my job. But it's part of who I am."

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Queen of NFL Retail

Natara Holloway (BBA ’98) didn’t move from Houston to New York to work for the National Football League because she was a die-hard football fan. She did it because she had a passion for accounting and auditing — and had for a very long time.

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Loss and Triumph

Many years ago, Beth Williams left her North Carolina home for a life of adventure. And boy, did she find it.

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Electric Avenue

Bauer alumna and President of NRG Retail and Reliant Elizabeth Killinger (BBA ’91) maintains a busy schedule as a mother of three and an active member of the Bauer College Board.

“Energy is a wide open field, and there is no brighter time for anyone, man or woman, to find where they belong within it.”

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Shattering the Glass Ceiling

Female leaders may be underestimating their supervisors’ perceptions of their work, according to a recent Bauer College study. The study by Bauer professor Leanne Atwater, alumna Rachel Sturm (Ph.D. ’14) and two other colleagues focuses on women in the workplace, examining how they predict their bosses’ ratings of their leadership.

“We need to be doing everything we can to boost people's senses of self.”

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Navigate Your Future

When I graduated from Bauer College in 2012, I felt confused. I was entering a competitive rotational program at a Fortune 500 company that would accelerate my career and expose me to a wide spectrum of opportunities. Still, I felt lost. Although my college years prepared me academically, I was unsure about the direction I wanted to take my career and how to navigate the years ahead of me.

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Sweet Song of Success

For Bauer College accounting senior Meggie Reynoso, life has been a lot like one of the songs she loves to sing in church — the beginning starts in almost a whisper, building through the middle to a triumphant crescendo.

“If you love doing something and it's your passion, keep chasing that dream and work hard because it will pay off.”

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We Can Do It!

For members of Bauer College’s National Association of Women MBAs, the journey to personal and professional success is best navigated with a team. And in the last year, this student organization has grown its team by more than doubling membership from 2013, marking the highest level of growth since 2011, and refining its mentorship program and professional development events. The women leading NAWMBA all have different stories, but what unites them is a shared goal in supporting each other and their classmates with a mantra that is likely familiar to many others striving for success — “We Can Do It!”

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The Marketing Navigator

What is a four-letter word that means tenacious, knowledgeable and dedicated? G-E-L-B. Marketing professor Betsy Gelb exemplifies that description. From the start of her career at WWL-TV in New Orleans to a four-decade tenure in Bauer College’s Department of Marketing & Entrepreneurship, Gelb has a breadth of experience that makes an impression.

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