Women's Leadership Institute Student Cohort reflects on personal and professional development with alum Nancy Curran
April 4, 2025 - Emily Jodway Patyna
The Women’s Leadership held its final Student Cohort workshop of the academic year on March 27, welcoming Michigan State alum and WLI supporter Nancy Curran to campus to help apply strategies they have learned throughout the year related to confidence-building and presentation skills.
Curran is a 1990 graduate of the Broad College of Business with a degree in Supply Chain Management, and holds a wealth of project management professional experience. For over 17 years, she has worked with large companies in purchasing, supply chain management, sales and marketing, and HR/recruiting. For the past ten years, she has worked for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City as its Senior Strategic Sourcing Specialist, responsible for finding and sourcing suppliers to partner with BCBSKC across various projects.
The Student cohort began the year learning from MSU Career Services staff about the various avenues they can take in their professional journey after graduation. They talked with both WLI Executive Board members and former Student Cohort members about the internship application process and how to navigate a job or internship for the first time. Students learned from a PhD student in Human Development and Family Studies ways to handle stress, improve self-talk, reduce overthinking, and balance professional and personal life. They wrapped up their programming for the year with this workshop, which took a closer look at the ‘who’ and ‘why’ behind their professional aspirations, and how to articulate one’s passions and goals to others with confidence.
“We have been building on this all year, and are now learning how to present ourselves with confidence,” said Amanda Guinot Talbot, Director of the WLI. “It’s important to be able to say who we are as people and as leaders, what our passions are, and what drives us.”
Throughout the workshop, Curran offered her own advice and personal insight based on her experiences as a young working woman and mother, which often included challenging moments surrounding work-life balance. The group reflected on their personal and professional identities as well as their personal leadership journeys- the road they have taken so far, where they are now, and where they see themselves in the near future.
Starting with small discussions about personal ‘fun facts’ and working up to voicing out loud their hopes and fears with one another, the students honed in on their ability to tell their story, something that Curran emphasized will continue to be part of one’s career journey, across many different groups of people. They also discussed their passions and strengths, looking back on how different experiences in their lives have impacted them in a variety of ways.
“My strength is my resilience, my ability to bounce back, and to take constructive feedback and learn from my mistakes,” one student said.
“I am most proud of my openness to new opportunities,” Curran gave as her example. “When you are open to opportunities, the world will open itself up to you and bring you opportunities, like being here today and connecting with you all. You are the future generation of young professionals - I cannot do enough to see you guys flourish and make this world a better place. You will be the next ones to make these companies and this world thrive.”
The WLI will wrap up its programming for the year in April, with its annual capstone event taking place on April 10. For more up-to-date information, click here.