As a single parent and mature student, I have often wondered if others thought that I was wasting my time and resources on a venture meant for younger women – women who had not made the mistake of marrying and having children with the wrong person. Winning your award has put that thought to bed for me.
I went to school because I love learning, because I have a dream to become a doctor, and because I wanted my children to know that making mistakes doesn’t mean having to spend the rest of your life hiding and feeling ashamed. We all have a right to pursue our best selves, and I thank the Minerva Foundation with all my heart for acknowledging the journey I have made thus far, and for providing other women like me the opportunity to pursue their dreams. The acknowledgement your organization has bestowed upon me has lit my insides with a quiet pride that I have not felt in a very long time.
Chandra Lebovitz, 2009 Harrison/Buitenhuis award recipient