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Judy Vredenburgh, president and chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, recently led the organization through its centennial celebration. Big Brothers Big Sisters' mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported one to one relationships, contributing to stronger schools, better communities and brighter futures for all.
I have been the lucky beneficiary of mentors all my life and have tried to do the same for others, including being a Big Sister for five years. Now I have the perfect job in which I can put my commitment to giving back into action as head of the nation's oldest, largest and most effective mentoring organization.
The most influential person besides my parents was my Aunt Ida. She was university educated in the Ivy League in a day when that opportunity was not open to most women. She went on to become a trained pharmacist (her father had taught her that every woman should be able to earn a living), and with her husband, raised three children. Aunt Ida lived in the country where I, as a city kid, could roam around outside without shoes and climb a tree for the first time. As my mentor, she opened worlds of possibilities and in so doing helped me develop more confidence and belief in myself.
Stephen Crane's "Red Badge of Courage." It deals with the idea that courage comes in many forms, and that courage is not conferred on you from the outside but is something you bring forth from within yourself. It shows the journey of an individual who discovers finally that courage – be it physical or moral – must come from within.
A belief in the basic goodness and decency of each individual. I saw it in my own life. My father had dedicated himself to a helping profession. I was influenced right from the start not to be in any way biased because someone was wealthy or educated, not be impressed by status, but to value each and every individual.
None. I don't have one film that particularly influenced me. I do see films, but I really love books and magazines, and I find that people are the most influential for me.
I would have figured out how to make the school seem smaller. My class had 1,100 students, 4,000 in the school. For example, I would have organized lunch and/or after school activities for some of us with similar interests.
The New York Times. I also read the Wall Street Journal and listen to news from NPR.
To provide a mentor to every child who needs and wants one, starting with the most at-risk of the at-risk youth in the nation. I dream of the day that every American realizes he or she can step forward to support the drive to make this dream come true.
