Jennifer Conway is no stranger to hard work. And with a smile that lights up a room, and a helping hand always willing to extend – she epitomizes what it means to live in service to others. “I would never ask anyone to do anything that I would not do myself. I believe in leaving a place better than I found it and really paying attention to how we take care of the people in the process.”
Her passion and dedication to helping students is obvious to anyone who has met her almost 20 years of working at Central Piedmont. Jenn is a student engagement coordinator who helps connect students to their interests, and makes them feel at home while they’re a student at Central Piedmont everyday.
Jenn Conway cares deeply. It’s evident in the way she leads and chooses to show up for her students and co-workers everyday. “I watched Mr. Rogers growing up. The way he talked to people, the way he took care of people – that philosophy of helping and taking care; that was a part of the formative experience of my life,” Jenn shares. As an older sibling, her early years were also shaped by her family and the natural role of care-taker many eldest siblings often take on.
Although Jenn cites Fred Rogers, Michelle Obama, and Simone Biles as sources of inspiration, she believes the people you meet day-to-day are the ones who have the greatest and most direct impact on your life. And you have the power to influence theirs as well!
She works with various student clubs and offers support to students with leadership and personal development. Jenn can easily rattle off names of students – both past and present – who have had a huge impact on her life. One of her proudest achievements is the lasting relationships she’s created with students.
“I love the Maya Angelou quote about (how) people may forget the things you say but they’ll never forget the way you make them feel, that’s something that I absolutely live by,” Jenn says, “I want everyone to feel included, welcomed, and valued. We all have a place in this very big world. I will always try to take care of the people around me – I want everyone to feel important.”
Her philosophy? Everyone is capable of leading. Jenn believes, “influence is different from authority, it’s also true that some people’s impact can definitely not match the scope of their power (or position),” Jenn says. “There are many women who are incredibly influential, but are not always in a position of authority. Great ideas can come from anywhere. And I think the college is doing good work to open doors and invite more people to the table.” It is so important that we not only honor great women in history, but also honor women we work with and see in our workplace every day.
Jenn shares, “I feel like women, and people of color, in particular have to be very mindful of the version of themselves on display to the world. And when it’s okay to show our true feelings and when it is not. Find your network of people who can wrap their arms around you. Help lift each other up – we have to take care of each other in that way.”
One thing we can all do to recognize those daily sacrifices is “take additional steps to care and be flexible. In addition to work, women often shoulder the family caretaking and childcare. We are constantly juggling many things in our lives,” Jenn says.
When asked about what final words to leave with our Central Piedmont community regarding Women’s History Month, she replies, “Just like Black History Month shouldn’t just be a month, Women’s History Month should also not just be a month. We celebrate these things because it’s incredibly important and deserves the spotlight – but I think these are year-round endeavors. We’ve got to continue making progress.”