Guest blog written by Saniya Pazhyannur
My mom has talked to me about the importance of girls’ leadership from a young age. In the summer of 2019, my mom signed me up for a STEM education and leadership development program offered by Girls Leadership Academy Meetup (GLAM). Although I wasn’t thrilled about giving up my weekend, I reluctantly agreed to attend, confident that I wouldn’t learn anything new or interesting. And I was completely wrong!
I had never participated in a program like this one… Senior female leaders from the tech industry shared their personal and professional stories in ways that really resonated. We learned how mentors, coaches, and teachers play important roles in our lives. We discovered that it is OK to try something new and not always succeed - that failure is nothing but learning opportunities! Most importantly, it was great to see how ‘normal’ and accessible these leaders were!
In September 2022, I was invited to support a virtual GLAM event with eBay as a keynote speaker! I was asked to talk about young entrepreneurship as an eBay seller. It was an honor and I was full of nerves just preparing for it… Ironically, it was the same mentor, Stephanie Luna-Lopez, and public speaking and business pitching expert, Chelsey Baker, who guided me and gave me confidence when I was a program attendee! They shared encouragement, key advice, and positivity. And, true to their words, I nailed my presentation! I was authentic, funny, and did not have a meltdown when we had tech glitches that often happen with online events.
Many participants and other speakers complimented my natural speaking style. Many asked me, “Why don’t you mentor others on how to deliver effective presentations?”
Their encouragement and my newly minted confidence spurred me to take on a bigger leadership role with GLAM. I became a team mentor for the July 2023 in-person GLAM event with iTalent Digital. Through training and mentoring from Team GLAM, I learned how to inspire, empower, and lead girls aged 8 to 12. At the end of this experience, I went from “I can’t do it” to “This is pretty cool”! I felt proud, knowing I played a role in supporting my team's completion of the GLAM program. The icing on the cake was that my team was awarded 2nd place! I cheered so loudly from the audience, as I felt SO proud of the girls! I learned that I can empower others, and unify a team for a common purpose!
When GLAM suggested that I become the lead mentor for the November 2023 in-person GLAM event with eBay and iTalent Digital, I was so excited! I was looking forward to being the one to train new mentors in the same way I was encouraged to grow from a participant to a speaker, to a mentor, and to a leader. It was important to me that mentors feel comfortable in their roles and bring their creativity to the table. During this event, the mentors were spectacular! They were role models, friends, volunteers, and also supporters for parents/ guardians, attendees, and GLAM staff. I saw firsthand how the other mentors interacted with their teams so seamlessly and confidently. I loved seeing smiles on both the attendees’ and mentors’ faces. This time, I felt proud in a different way! I felt that I had my first opportunity to lead and I did OK!
Today, I work as an Operations Intern at GLAM. I did not know what “leadership” meant NOR did I have much ambition to become one until I had these opportunities. I would like to thank Margaret Sanchez, former Operations Director, who played a pivotal role in starting my GLAM experience. GLAM's mentorship has been truly instrumental in my evolution from a girl with an attitude to a learner with curiosity, and ultimately a leader with an ability to inspire! I cannot wait to see what skills I continue to learn and where this GLAM journey continues to lead. Perhaps the moral of this story is to listen to your mom!
Saniya Pazhyannur is a Southern CA student who is attending a STEM-focused high school. She is an Operations Intern for GLAM as well as the Lead Mentor during in-person and online GLAM events. In addition, Saniya works as an assistant for her horse riding trainer.
To learn more about our STEAM education and leadership development programs, explore more content throughout our website, follow @GLAMReadyToLead on socials, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and read more of our blogs and press releases.
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