We spent some time with previous Women of Color award winners to discuss the importance of volunteering and giving back to the next generation of leaders.
As the global procurement environmental strategic sourcing and operations manager at IBM, Jennifer Turner is responsible for securing cutting-edge technology for her research team. She leads her team by ensuring fluid communication across departments on a regular basis and ensuring that team members receive the support they need through training and technology. While she is a well-respected leader in the tech space, Turner shines brightest when in “give back” mode.
Some of the organizations that she spends her time working with outside of her office job include Peekskills Girl Scouts, where she is a service unit manager and the leader of her daughter’s troop, IBM Volunteers, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Peekskill District Schools, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
It may come as a surprise that a woman oversees purchasing for one of the world’s largest technology companies, but the most intriguing piece of information is how Turner became involved with the Girl Scouts without ever growing up seeking a badge herself.
“When I had my first daughter, I was looking at different activities that she might be interested in,” Turner reflects on her first experience with Girl Scouts. “There are so many different activities that you can do within Girl Scouts. My daughters became involved, and I volunteered as often as I could until their troop leader left, and I was asked to step in. I was a reluctant leader because I really didn’t believe I had the time.”
Her work with Girl Scouts quickly evolved and began to blend with her role at IBM as IBM Volunteers brought in engineers to help with community volunteer activities.
Other STEM events that have evolved from community efforts that Turner is involved with include Girls & Boys TechKnow Camp, Family Science Saturdays, and Yorktown Research. Turner has seen with her own eyes the transformative experience that exposure to STEM education can have on our future leaders.
“To encourage students to try science, technology, engineering, and math, volunteers from my organization go into schools. In one classroom, a girl came in late, and it was the last place that she wanted to be, based on her body language. By the end of the very interactive session, she was so excited and running out of room to tell her friends all about her experience, she said, ‘I am going to become an engineer!’ And I bet she did!”
When it comes to inspiring others to find ways to give back, Turner encourages others to find any way possible to need it. While organizations may have their leaders, the troopers on the ground helping are just as important as the leadership. Start with research and find out how you can go to a meeting or volunteer at an event.
Tina Terrell, acting associate deputy chief for the National Forest System, USDA Forest Service, began her journey with natural resources and forestry 35 years ago, and she is still just as passionate about her projects as she was the first day that she started. Her day-to-day activities at the Forest Service involve coordinating information and people on issues that cover the very land we see and touch every day. She has witnessed how education and regulation can not only shape our landscape but also impact the lives of people everywhere.
Volunteering has always been something that Terrell focused on, inside and outside of her job. As someone who was inspired at a young age by nature, she works with youth, especially urban minority youths, to teach them how to become engaged in things related to natural resources. She wants urban communities to understand that they can have a say and become involved in discussions and actions related to our natural resources.
Terrell frequently volunteers with different community organizations including YouthCorp and AmeriCorps to help provide environmental education to youth, connecting them to the outdoors and getting them excited about the different job opportunities that are available. “Because communities use landscapes and nature, it’s our responsibility to show the next generation how to become engaged and utilize their natural forests and surrounding areas,” said Terrell.
“Many urban people don’t have that understanding because they have always lacked the resources. I want to help continue to connect youth to nature.” Her favorite story of community impact comes back to a young girl named Zekya who she met in 1994 while working as a recruiter for Tuskegee University.
“In 1994, I got a letter from a young lady raised in a small town called Tiny Woods, Mississippi. She loved nature and agriculture and wanted to go to college to pursue a degree. I made a trip out there to visit with her and saw the one-room schoolhouse where her mentors encouraged her to go to college. She told me she wanted to go to Duke. At the time, I wasn’t working with Duke directly but had developed a 3+2 program with Tuskegee and partnering universities. Zekya went on to receive her bachelor’s from Tuskegee, a master’s from North Carolina State University and achieved her dream of completing a Ph.D. with Duke University. Now, she teaches at NC State and continues the legacy of the program—finding young people with a dream of going to college and pursuing a career in natural resources, forestry, and agriculture.” Her advice to those seeking to give back is to find something that you are passionate about. Once you’ve done the research and find something that piques your interest, start contacting organization members and find out how you can become involved and help. She also recommends limiting where you put your time.
“You can be involved in 10 things,” said Turner, “but is that the best use of your time? Think strategically and find a way to put your efforts to good use.”
She also recommends getting out of your comfort zone.
Do not be afraid of spending time and becoming involved in groups, organizations, and communities that are different than yours in order to achieve a better understanding. That better understanding will allow you to have a deeper impact in those communities and your own. Whether you are looking to spend a few hours volunteering at a STEM event, working the kitchen at a shelter, or implementing a new program that helps future students, the future starts with you. Take a leap and find a new way to give back that will make an impact in your community and the world. You might find that in helping others and building the leaders of tomorrow, you also help yourself grow.
