Why the Alliance for Women in Media is Important and Relevant to Females of All Ages
During the Alliance for Women in Media’s Women in Sports Breakfast, a photographer captured this photo of 2015 honoree Lauren McHale and her daughter.
To me, this important picture says it all: a revered sports media veteran lovingly gazed at by her proud daughter.
I had the pleasure of sitting next to Lauren at the 2015 Gracies Luncheon where I was awarded an Emerging Voices Scholarship from Ford Motor Company Fund and the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. Lauren’s company, Katz Sports Media, was one of the sponsors at the event and was represented by a number of female employees. Winning this prestigious scholarship from Ford provided me not only with much-needed funds, it also enabled me to network with high-power women in communications.
Throughout the luncheon, we laughed and cried, sharing stories about trying to juggle motherhood with a career. As a nontraditional student, I am completing my doctorate while working full-time and raising two children. My girls, now eight months and four years old, are the reason why I work so hard to further my career, and at the Gracies Luncheon, I realized I was not alone; so many successful women are doing the same thing. They want the next generation of females to feel important and empowered to reach their educational and professional goals without any walls, barriers or glass ceilings. These women are movers and shakers, and incredibly, they all came together in one room to celebrate, honor and support students and women in media. The Gracies Luncheon is an incredible opportunity to revel in the success of other females while being inspired to strive for more.
As many mothers can relate, I felt an enormous amount of guilt when I decided to go back to school. Although I knew I needed a terminal degree to reach my career goals, part of me felt that I should not spend money on myself or take time away from my family. Thankfully, the Emerging Voices Scholarship relieves some of my financial burden—and guilt—while further elevating my professional profile, as I will forever be linked to the Gracies and the Alliance for Women in Media. I encourage all female students studying media, journalism, English or communications to apply for the Emerging Voices Scholarship regardless of their age or demographic background.
Amanda and her daughters, two weeks before starting her doctorate program at the University of Southern California.
As women in media, it is important to encourage and support one another. I can only hope that once I graduate, my daughters will understand the sacrifices I made to reach my personal and professional goals, and I hope they will look at me as Lauren’s daughter did at the Women in Sports Breakfast: with admiration, inspiration and the hope that one day, with hard work and perseverance, they too can be like mom.
Amanda Holdsworth with her mom, Betty Chaborek, at the 2015 Gracies Luncheon. Amanda was inspired to go back to school in spite of raising a young family because she watched her mom do it 30 years ago. Betty graduated with a 4.0 GPA and never missed one of her children’s activities—a goal Amanda is striving to reach as she completes her doctorate.