Yesterday, Karen Smith, the President of Olympus Scientific Solutions Americas, held a Mentor Circle for the CWB Fellows to discuss her experiences as a strong female leader in science and engineering fields.
Some of the advice that she shared was:
- Say yes to as many opportunities as you can, it can pay off in the long run
- Never be too comfortable, do things that scare you
- Diligence, hard work, and perseverance are important traits in order to be successful
- Don’t let the jerks of the world affect you
- Her background in skating has taught her that when you fall down you must get back up and keep moving.
- Precision and being detail-oriented make a difference
- Do not hold onto unnecessary stress
- It is okay to not have a plan
- It is okay to be tough, but there is no room for being unkind to others
- Find the things that you enjoy and make a career out of it
- Karen shares how taking a business class at Bentley helped her find that she wanted to help customers. Has there been a Bentley class that has inspired you to take on a certain career?
- Karen discusses how important marketing is, especially marketing oneself. Share your own positioning statement in how you “market” yourself to others.
- Karen discusses her core values of integrity, empathy, and diversity, what is one of your core values?
- What is your biggest take-away from Karen’s mentor circle?
CWB Fellowship Blog 
Karen Smith’s story left me feeling inspired and empowered and I love that she ensured us that it’s okay not to know exactly what we want to do with the rest of our lives right now. I have often felt pressured to know exactly what i want to do and who I want to be and it was refreshing have hear a different perspective on that subject.
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One of my core values is integrity. I believe that it is important to always hold yourself to high standards, even if people around you are not doing the same. I always try to take the higher road. My biggest take away from Karen’s mentor circle was that you really can do whatever you want no matter what other people say and that it is important to preserve, try new things and work as hard as you can.
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When I first came to Bentley I had an idea of exactly what i wanted to do. But after taking a CS class and getting advice from professors I found that there was more that i was interested besides just accounting. Although I have a set major now, I still struggle with it it’s the right decision and with listening to Karen Smith and being okay with uncertainty it made me feel more at ease with not having it all together right now. But my biggest take away was the advice of saying yes to everything. I am a reserved person myself and at times now although i am young I wonder if I’m not doing enough to have fun and try new things. That its okay to live a little and go outside of your comfort zone and that you could be better because of it.
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I market myself to others as being someone who cares deeply about the individual and their personal experiences. I believe that everyone has their own perspective on things and when one takes special care in discovering these specific thoughts and opinions, there is a greater chance of connection between these two individuals. There is something different about every person that can add to the experience of another. Taking the time to figure out what makes people uniquely themselves allows for a bond that is greater than one that is just surface-level and superficial. I think that getting to know as many people as you can to the very best of your ability gives more opportunity to both individuals involved in the process. Not only does it help me become a better individual, but it also helps the other as I am able to understand the other.
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I defintely felt very inspired after the mentor circle with Karen Smith, I felt that she was able to share a lot of wisdom that was really helpful, especially as I consider entering the workforce soon upon my graduation. I ould say my biggest core values is empathy, I have always been a person who wants to treat others in a respectful manner in all things I do. I think my biggest takeaway from the mentor circle is that it’s okay if I’m not 100% sure about what I want to do in my career, that there is always time to shift and change my mind. I thought Karen was able to share a lot of insightful advice from her career journey so far and I feel very empowered getting to hear from her!
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I appreciated that Karen Smith shared how she did not approach her life with a set plan. I often find myself obsessing over having and adhering to a plan I set for myself. However, the reality is that my plans often do not play out as intended. Ms. Smith makes an excellent point to “say yes” to many opportunities. By being open to a variety of opportunities, she gave herself many more options. These options can help create a new direction or to pivot when plans fall through. Bentley University offers so many opportunities that I try to say yes to, this program included. The opportunities that I have participated in thus far have changed the plan I had set for myself, giving me opportunities I had never dreamed of.
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