Megan Henderson
- 2017 Cohort
- Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
- High School: Millard South High School
Additional Information
Senior Reflections
What are your ultimate career goals?
My ultimate career goals include leading an organization that is focused on a mission I believe in. I see myself being an executive or higher-level manager of an organization, balancing leading and working with others alongside creating organizational strategies and leading the organization to success. As an individual who works best when passionate and inspired, the ultimate dream would be to lead a team of people to make that inspirational mission come true. Putting the time into developing myself as a businesswoman and creating a strong foundation in the early years of my career I think will prepare me well for the future years of being able to lead a team of individuals in an organization.
What are the two or three most important things you learned throughout the program?
The first important thing I’ve learned and taken to heart from being involved in the Scholars Academy is to surround yourself with good people. The Scholars Academy is a program of about eighty really great people. These people supported me and my goals
What advice do you have for current Scholars?
Say yes. It sounds simple but can be really hard. I would say some of the best experiences and opportunities I was exposed to in college came from turning down my anxious mind and saying yes to new things. This included having a cup of coffee with a VP of a local company to ask questions about their field, sending my resume to a recruiter from a company I had never heard of, going to North Carolina for a national Scholars conference, or tagging along with some Scholars I didn’t really know to a baseball game. As cheesy as it sounds, those were the moments I grew the most from and learned the most from. So do not shut yourself off too quickly!
Second, ask for help when you need it! Again, it sounds simple but I know it is harder in practice. Whether it is another Scholar, Bethany, or your mentor, just ask! The worse thing someone is going to say is no or I do not know (and if I don’t know is the answer, they will most likely pass you on to someone who does know). The unknown of the answer or maybe even the embarrassment of asking for help (I’ve been there) is what is holding you back but from my experience asking was never as bad as I thought and people are always so willing to offer a helping hand.
What is your favorite quote? Why?
"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good." - John Steinbeck
This quote just encapsulates my life journey of recognizing that the only standard of perfection I was holding myself to was from my own limits. Unlearning that has led me on a journey of discovering my true values and passions. Now that I recognize that success is a personal judgment, I can just be good and do good things. And that is perfectly okay.
Additional Information
Senior Reflections
What are your ultimate career goals?
My ultimate career goals include leading an organization that is focused on a mission I believe in. I see myself being an executive or higher-level manager of an organization, balancing leading and working with others alongside creating organizational strategies and leading the organization to success. As an individual who works best when passionate and inspired, the ultimate dream would be to lead a team of people to make that inspirational mission come true. Putting the time into developing myself as a businesswoman and creating a strong foundation in the early years of my career I think will prepare me well for the future years of being able to lead a team of individuals in an organization.
What are the two or three most important things you learned throughout the program?
The first important thing I’ve learned and taken to heart from being involved in the Scholars Academy is to surround yourself with good people. The Scholars Academy is a program of about eighty really great people. These people supported me and my goals
What advice do you have for current Scholars?
Say yes. It sounds simple but can be really hard. I would say some of the best experiences and opportunities I was exposed to in college came from turning down my anxious mind and saying yes to new things. This included having a cup of coffee with a VP of a local company to ask questions about their field, sending my resume to a recruiter from a company I had never heard of, going to North Carolina for a national Scholars conference, or tagging along with some Scholars I didn’t really know to a baseball game. As cheesy as it sounds, those were the moments I grew the most from and learned the most from. So do not shut yourself off too quickly!
Second, ask for help when you need it! Again, it sounds simple but I know it is harder in practice. Whether it is another Scholar, Bethany, or your mentor, just ask! The worse thing someone is going to say is no or I do not know (and if I don’t know is the answer, they will most likely pass you on to someone who does know). The unknown of the answer or maybe even the embarrassment of asking for help (I’ve been there) is what is holding you back but from my experience asking was never as bad as I thought and people are always so willing to offer a helping hand.
What is your favorite quote? Why?
"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good." - John Steinbeck
This quote just encapsulates my life journey of recognizing that the only standard of perfection I was holding myself to was from my own limits. Unlearning that has led me on a journey of discovering my true values and passions. Now that I recognize that success is a personal judgment, I can just be good and do good things. And that is perfectly okay.