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Women's History Month - Dr. Erica Schacht

Tue, 03/16/2021
Dr. Erica Schacht Womens History Month

One class that every student should take is Transformative Learning. Many students are fortunate enough to take this course with Prof. Erica Schacht. This course introduces students to the value of change, personal growth and transformation. Students learn about reflective thinking, create positive personal outlook, and foster “behavior of success.” She is an inspiration for all students, but particularly for young women. As the Chairperson of the General Education department, Prof. Schact is the perfect person to share some knowledge and inspiration to all the female students willing to be in leadership roles in the future.

As part of the Celebrations of Women’s History Month, we feature Dr. Erica Schacht who also is Dean of First Year Experience and Senior Chairperson of General Education.

What does Women's History Month mean for you?

To me, Women’s History month is both a month to honor achievements made from women, past and present, but to also honor those women who have fought hard on the journey to obtain equal rights for all women.

How challenging has it been for you to be a woman in leadership?

This is a hard question to answer. Personally, I would not say that I have felt many challenges because of my sex, but I have encountered some because of my age. I think when you couple that with being a woman, and a woman in a leadership position, there is definitely a power struggle present. There have been times where I have come across older men in the field (outside of CW, of course) who have assumed I was just an assistant to someone higher up, or that I simply was not capable of being in a leadership position because I did not have enough experience. It comes across as the assumption that you are simply not as smart as they are and therefore could not possibly be on their level.

Did you always know you wanted to work for a college?

Honestly, no. My original track was to teach HS English. By luck, I got hired to adjunct after graduate school and fell in love with it.

What changes are you hoping to bring to our society by being in the higher education industry?

I want to encourage younger women that anything is possible. That you must continue to stand up, even after you fall or might be pushed down. I want the younger generation to see me as a mentor and a role model.

Who are your favorite top 3 women in leadership and why?

In the present day, I am a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton. Even though she has had her fair share of issues, she has never given up. She continues to fight for women’s rights even in the light of adversity. The second is definitely RGB. I mean she is the epitome of what every young woman aspires to be. She overcame so many challenges all the while raising a family and taking care of her husband when he was sick. Truly inspiring. Finally, as cliché as it sounds, I am going to say Oprah. I mean talk about a journey riddled with challenges on every level and rising to the top of the entertainment business—that to me is something we should all admire. Oprah came from practically nothing and endured hell, and yet she never forgot her journey and all that she went through to get to where she is.

Your advice to a female CW student whose dream is to run a company or become a C-level executive is?

The road is going to be very tough, but that means the journey is worth it. People are going to tell you that you will fail and never get to the top---don’t believe them. The famous painter Georgia O’Keeffe once said, “ I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life—and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.” Never give up.

Your recommendation for a book written by a female author is?

Definitely Becoming by Michelle Obama—hands down.

 

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The College of Westchester