Meredith Morris
Rise
Washington, DC USA
"Don’t wallow in the ‘what could have been.’ Be excited and embrace the ‘what is to come’ and ‘what’s to be.’"
Career Roadmap
Meredith's work combines: Business, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Political Science
UCLA
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Senior Manager, Partnerships:
Bachelor's Degree: Political Science
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I grew up as an only child in a small family and had a hard time making friends, which led to me feeling lonely and uncomfortable in my own skin—this made me want to help other kids in the future.
2.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA.
3.
After graduating, I taught English in France for a while.
4.
I transitioned to working for the Clinton Global Initiative, where I helped different nonprofits, companies, and governments figure out the platforms for their social impact work.
5.
I then went to work for the Dow Chemical Company in order to gain corporate experience while sticking with social impact and sustainability.
6.
I spent 10 years with Dow in various different roles and locations.
7.
My final role with Dow was running our work around corporate social responsibility, social impact work for STEM education, workforce development, and diversity and inclusion.
8.
After solidifying that my role in the world is to use my skills and resources to support young people, I joined Rise to lead their partnerships team.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Do I really belong here? Is it all going to go away? Is this the last time?
How I responded:
I get the opportunity to be in different rooms and at different tables but I sometimes find myself doubting if I really belong there. I have to remind myself that I was invited here, so I do belong here. The self-doubt is a struggle but I think it also keeps me humble, hardworking, and more empathetic. I just need to keep reminding myself that I do belong here.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was the first in my family to get the opportunity to go to college, so it was non-negotiable. However, I didn't get into my dream school and ended up going to community college first. I felt ashamed but worked really hard to get to my dream school.