On September 12, we hosted our final official event of the 2022 Rookie Career Accelerator (RCA) at ModernWell in Minneapolis. The cohort participated in two Learning Labs. First was a session on Inclusive Leadership, followed by a Career Barriers & Boosters seminar. We wrapped up the evening and the program with a graduation ceremony that included the cohort members and their mentors.
First, Lizzie Merrill and Christa Perkins led the Inclusive Leadership Learning Lab. Together, the group identified their personal values and explored perceptions of inclusive leadership. These activities laid the groundwork for a discussion on how leadership can center inclusivity, and how we can enact these practices in our roles as leaders.
Next up was the Career Barriers & Boosters Lab presented by Katie Selby. This was a continuation of Design Your Life work done with Katie earlier on in the program. The group was led through several activities to help understand what propels us toward career growth, and what gets in the way. We discussed “Comfort vs. Growth” and examined the concept of “inner critic” versus “inner champion”, learning what impact these can have on us personally and professionally.
We finished the night off with each mentor having the opportunity to say a few special words about their mentee. It was a recognition of all the time and work put into the RCA by the cohort throughout the course of the year, and a celebration of the Mentor-Mentee relationships that were built. We at Her Next Play are so grateful for the hours and effort devoted to making this program a success in its inaugural year!
