On March 27, the Division of Student Services celebrated Women’s History Month by hosting a brunch, “Keep it Moving: Being Resilient in the Face of Adversity,” to help facilitate and strengthen leadership development.
The event consisted of guest speakers such as Kimberly Senter, founder and CEO of Kim Konnects, and Dr. Monica Burnette, vice president of Student Services at Seton Hall.
At the event, Senter spoke on topics like strength, courage, and the perseverance that women demonstrate on a daily basis.
“Our goal was to affirm and celebrate our attendees in a supportive communal space while providing meaningful insight to support their career journeys,” Senter said.
Senter also spoke on the resilience it took for her to transition from a long and successful career in corporate America to launching her own company.
“In the beginning, adversity presented itself as loss—loss of financial stability and consistency,” Senter said. “Additionally, my identity and self-confidence were shaken as I stepped into uncharted territory.”
Senter said that facing these new challenges brought moments of self-doubt.
“This journey taught me that adversity is not the final destination,” Senter said. “Rather, it is an essential part of the evolution toward becoming your best self.”
Burnette also spoke on resilience and overcoming self-doubt.
“I shared my personal journey—including moments when I didn’t feel ‘ready’ and how I grew through discomfort,” Burnette said. “It’s important to note that sometimes confidence doesn’t always come before action, but rather from action.”
Burnette also said that resilience means staying grounded in your purpose despite the path ahead being unclear.
“I focus on what I can control, let go of what I can’t, and surround myself with supportive people,” she said.
Ghana Hylton, the director of Campus Inclusion & Business Affairs, moderated the discussion. Hylton said that she resonated with the theme of resilience that both Senter and Burnette spoke on at the brunch.
“One of my biggest challenges at Seton Hall came when I was promoted and had to relocate to the [Interprofessional Health Sciences] campus for a year,” Hylton said. “At that time, the medical school was new, and it was uncharted territory. It was both equally exciting and testing as everything was new, so the position required me to think outside the box and get creative with my problem-solving skills.”
Senter spoke on overcoming gender related challenges in the workplace, saying that spending a great deal of time in male-dominated careers is what made her successful.
“Rather than trying to assimilate or conform to being ‘one of the guys’ or adopting a tough exterior, I chose to remain authentic to myself,” Senter said. “I focused on perfecting my craft and honed leadership skills that set me apart. This contributed to even greater success in my career.”
Hylton said that it’s possible to be both professional and authentic.
“I think sometimes people mistake being true to themselves as being perceived as unprofessional or that it would hurt their career, but it’s not,” Hylton said. “As long as things are said in the right way and backed up with the correct facts and data, it’s possible.
“Professionalism and authenticity paired with kindness goes further than most people know,” Hylton added.
Disclaimer: This article was published later due to scheduling issues. Thank you for your patience.
McKayla Watkins is a writer for The Setonian’s Campus Life section. She can be reached at mckayla.watkins@student.shu.edu.
