On April 21, 2016, FLY celebrated its two year(!) anniversary. The past two years would not have been possible without the time, dedication, and passion of our inaugural co-chairs Becky DeSalvo and Alina Nevins. Becky recently stepped down as co-chair and remains an active and valuable member. We celebrate her this month in our first ever FLY Member Spotlight.
What is your role at Yale?
Director of Enrollment Management & Diversity Initiatives at Forestry & Environmental Studies (FES)
Can you tell us about your experience founding and co-chairing FLY?
It has been a fabulous experience! What really impresses me is the motivation and creativity from other young professionals all over campus. I have met so many amazing individuals and have formed tremendous personal and professional relationships with many of them. The 16 of us that initially came together under guidance from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion were fortunate to have the complete support of Mike Peel. The university understands that many young professionals come to Yale with the hope of building their career here but we face new challenges with the economy, institutional knowledge, existing management practices, all of which the university is working on with the support of FLY.
For myself, I had passed the point of exploring what I wanted to do and knew that I wanted to dig in long term establish myself at Yale, FLY has been one of the key resources in helping me do this. We have committed to New Haven by purchasing a house through the Yale Homebuyer program and I do not know if we would have made that commitment if not for the knowledge and exposure I gained during my time co-chairing FLY.
What skills did you learn as co-chair that are valuable to your career?
One of the interesting components of FLY is that there are essentially two cohorts within the group. There are those that are just setting out on their professional path with room for exploration and movement and there are those who are more established and are considering the long-term commitment to the university as the very next step. During my time as co-chair, it was inspiring to see the mentorship that took place just between our own members maybe just a few years apart in age. As a younger manager at Yale, this dynamic has carried over directly into my position where my team is composed of new young professionals and more established professionals.
Where do you plan to focus your energy in FLY now?
I am extremely passionate about access to education and I hope to pick up on a project that we began last year on establishing a transparent online resource for members of the Yale staff interested in either beginning or returning to school. This will be on hold for the summer as I venture out on maternity leave but I’m looking forward to diving back in! Additionally, I think FLY can be a resource for managers at Yale as the institution begins to think about how we can better retain young professionals and support the long-term career commitment that will be needed to move the university into the next decade.
How do you see FLY has changed the climate for young professionals working at Yale?
FLY has so many things to offer young professionals both on a personal and professional level. Beyond the trainings, speakers, and voice that it provides our population, I think the single most valuable piece is that young professionals now have a community. So many young professionals on campus feel isolated in their roles and may not have the opportunity to explore the rest of Yale. This lack of community has led to many talented professionals looking elsewhere for employment. Now, we have a space to network, explore, and support our peers. FLY’s ultimate goal is to retain and develop talented professionals in the first half of their career trajectory. I think we’re offering many of the supports to help achieve this!
What is your favorite FLY memory so far?
Wow, just one?! The happy hours are rarely an offering I am able to attend but last year, Celestina Perone and I had volunteered to do check-in at one of them downtown and it was a riot. It was pouring and the restaurant had provided us outdoor tables for the most part. What was incredible was that a TON of people still came! FLY members were having a blast being squished under table umbrellas and the conversations were wonderful. It is just a testament to our population.
What advice would you give someone who’s interested in joining FLY?
There is no rationale for not getting involved that I won’t happily challenge. I am always happy to meet with individuals that are exploring their fit (becky.desalvo@yale.edu). All factors are flexible: time commitment, during the day, after hours, professional learning, networking, central campus, med-side…it doesn’t matter what an individual’s guidelines may be, we will work with you and support you. Ultimately, this is a university initiative for all staff and post-docs. Many of us spend more time at work than at home. It is crucial that staff feel a sense of support, value and pride in what they do for this institution no matter what your work area is. If FLY doesn’t fit, maybe one of the other affinity groups does. Get involved!