Isn’t it amazing how inspiration can come from the most unexpected places?
For me, one such moment occurred at the University of Liverpool, through a fellow student named Lisa Crockett. Lisa was an energetic and dedicated member of our innovative international DBA program. She quickly became a central figure in our program, always present, always willing to lend a hand, and always making sure we had the information we needed to thrive in our studies. But Lisa’s story didn’t stop at being a helpful senior classman. She went on to complete her thesis on pediatric palliative care—a deeply personal and powerful topic that coincided with my own experience of a loved one undergoing the very care she was researching.
I will always remember curling up on a couch outside the breakfast area in my hotel after a residency at Liverpool, reading and reflecting on Lisa’s thesis. I thought to myself, “But have you considered this?” before ultimately conceding that she had captured the lived experiences of caregivers with such remarkable accuracy and compassion.
I’m sure Lisa has no idea that her dedication and work made such an impression on me, but I will always be grateful for the inspiration she provided in such an unexpected way.
This month, as we celebrate well-known heroines like Oprah Winfrey, Graça Machel, Yvonne Aki- Sawyerr, and Margaret Atwood, let’s also take a moment to remember the everyday heroes who quietly make a difference in their communities and industries. Thank you, Lisa, and all those who inspire with their passion, hard work, and kindness.
Dr. Memuna Williams has a BA and MA in Translation, an MBA, and DBA. Her doctoral thesis illuminates how SMEs develop social responsibility programs across four phases and 13 categories. Dr. Williams and her husband Victor have three sons. Connect with her at: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-memuna-williams-dba-8193b01
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