Dear Ms. Hader,

Your recent email letter struck a chord with me. It was unique and heartfelt. These are days of uncertainty for everyone, but especially painful for those who are on the cusp of changes and transitions.

My husband and I both graduated from SIS in 1967, filled with a sense of purpose and excitement, much like the seniors this year. We had been challenged by Dr. Said, written for Dr. Young, climbed Old Rag with Dr. Griffith and spent 2 years around the table guided in discussion of American Civilization by Dr. Rostow. We were ready to make a difference in the foreign service. I had passed the exam and the orals but was denied a job because we were about to be married and they did not hire married women! I am still steaming about that! We had a Peace Corps assignment to Colombia and were ready to go when the reality of government policy struck. The Vietnam War was blazing. Tom’s draft status was changed, and he was ordered to put everything on hold to serve his time. We felt like a bomb had exploded on our plans and futures, and it had. However, our training at the SIS kicked in.

This is my message to those facing uncertainty: pivot! You are trained to think, analyze, and act. Expand your vision and start something new to keep you going, and then pivot again and again until you are on a comfortable path. Every experience we were forced to have turned out to be another step to where we were meant to be. Every experience became an adventure that led to new skills and perspectives. Looking back, we feel fortunate we did not get the future we had planned when we were 22. We discovered new skills and new opportunities that changed us in positive ways. Trust me, all is not lost. Indeed, change is an opportunity to grow.

We are now enjoying our 80th years with a wealth of memories and deep satisfaction in jobs well done. Our journey was not what we expected; it was better and richer! SIS played a huge part in this. It opened our eyes and helped us make valuable contacts. The students’ foundations have been built at AU. Now each individual can build their unique future.

Your clear appeal for help is perfect. I hope those who can help will step up. We are long past having the resources to help with opportunities or professional development. However, we can tell your students to not despair. We encourage them to remain flexible and pivot to a new path that fits them. There will be many changes and lessons learned. Good luck!

Share Your SIS Story of Inspiration

To share your own story from your time at SIS, please email us a two-minute or less video or write your own letter. Be sure to also send a photo from your time at SIS!