Prairie Ridge’s International Studies Department hosted a Women In Leadership Discussion Panel and invited 24 female students to attend for Women’s History Month. Pamela Althoff, Gloria Van Hof, Maddi Burroughs, Carey Schulze and Colleen Fuchs were invited to speak to the students about what leadership means to them and their path to leadership.
Gloria Van Hof, 10-year CEO of The Manufacturers Source and an industrial engineer for 18 years, has held many positions of leadership in her career. “If you want to be a leader, inspire people to do a good job,” Van Hof said when asked to give insight on herself. She also voiced, “We do things by lifting each other up.”
After initial introductions, senior Addison Gertz asked the group: “What was the moment you wanted to take your career to the next level?”
Colleen Fuchs took on the question and mentioned “leadership is within.” She also said “I’ve always felt driven.” Fuchs is the founder of a non-profit called Stages of Transformation to help families of addicts and addicts themselves to recover.
Maddi Burroughs, a franchise owner of Jersey Mikes and Manager of the Year at 19 years old, added onto this statement by saying “I found something that I was really good at and that I really enjoyed.”
All of the women agreed that by taking their careers to the next level and being a leader within their field, it helped them in both their personal and professional lives.
Carey Schulze is a transactional lawyer in Crystal Lake and owns her own firm. She addressed the balance of having a family while also being the owner of her own company. “I decided I wanted more flexibility. To be a mom and to be at all of the things for my children.” She also added “I didn’t want to give up my career either.” Opening her own practice allowed her to continue working and being present for her kids. “It was the best decision I ever made.”
When sophomore Sierra Greenwell asked about the independence the women have and how it has helped their careers, Van Hof exclaimed “You have to be your own woman. Don’t be anyone else’s woman but your own.”
Independence and being a leader also comes at a cost. People often question their integrity when leading others because they worry that they won’t be liked. This is something that teenagers especially worry about, but as people grow older, they seem to almost grow out of it.
Senior Izzy Murawski addressed this very concern by asking the group “Is it hard to find a good balance of being confident and not being seen as rude?”
Burroughs said “I don’t need anyone to like me, I need them to respect me,” the other leaders nodded in agreement. Pamela Althoff, former state senator and current county board member, mentioned, “you treat others the same you expect to receive and you take nothing less.” Van Hof also noted “People can spot integrity when you have that.”
Not every leader is well liked and not every leader views their role in leadership the same. Junior Dharshini Jayaprakash asked the question, “How do you view leadership?”
Schulze said “Having compassion makes a better leader” and Fuchs added on by saying “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”
After talking about their success to where they are now, Addison Gertz asked “If you could go back and tell your younger self something, what would it be?” 
Teenagers that aspire to go big places and be strong leaders in their lives often worry about their futures and wonder if what’s happening right now will really be the end if one thing goes wrong.
Burroughs answered by saying in high school “everything feels like the end of the world,” and noted “It might take years [but] don’t pressure yourself.”
These five strong, independent local female leaders taught PR students that high school is just the beginning. Mrs. Schulze added to this by saying “even within the plan you have” you need to “be able to adapt.”
Adapting is the first step to leadership. As Van Hof said, “It’s not what happens to you; it’s how you respond.”
