Her Story
About Carol
I started my career by joining the United States Army at age 19 after leaving college in my sophomore year. I was stationed at Fort Eustis, Virginia, where I served as a Town's Clerk in the transportation office and motor pool, which gave me valuable leadership skills and taught me accountability and responsibility. After the military, I attended nursing school in Richmond, Virginia, and became a licensed practical nurse. I worked as a nurse for 36 years across six states - Virginia, Texas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, and back to Mississippi - in every aspect of nursing including OB-GYN and other specialties. During my nursing career, especially in the 25-plus years I worked with the physical aspects of nursing, I observed that some people had deeper struggles and mental health needs that weren't being addressed, but I couldn't overstep my boundaries as a nurse. After retiring from nursing, I still felt called to help people. At age 40, I was diagnosed with depression, and despite being a nurse for 15 years at that point, I felt there was a stigma around it. God gave me the vision to help others by sharing my story and letting people know that mental health is just as important as physical health. In March 2023, I founded the Fairs Foundation, a nonprofit organization promoting mental wellness, and I serve as its founder and president. I work with five other females who have all been in the medical field, and together we educate people about mental wellness through events led by medical professionals and licensed counselors. We also help decrease stress on families by providing back-to-school supplies, Thanksgiving meal boxes, and Christmas toys and clothes. When we have the finances, we pay for a person's first initial visit to a mental health counselor, and we always ensure people get connected to the help they need. I am currently completing my bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in sociology at Delta State University, graduating next month, and I plan to attend graduate school next spring to become a licensed professional counselor so I can provide counseling services through the foundation platform.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carol
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to following my calling and being true to myself. I learned early on that there's a difference between a job, a career, and a calling. A calling is saturated in you - it's in you whether you're on the time clock or not. I'm always helping people because that's what I was created on this earth to do. Even when I'm off work, I'm doing something to help people through my church and other activities. I also believe in being your genuine self, not a carbon copy of what somebody else thinks you should be. As Oprah said in one of the podcasts I listened to, the world needs more of you, your genuine self. And I want people to know it's never too late to make a change - I'll be graduating with my bachelor's degree next month, so age is just a number when you're following your calling.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to make sure that what you're doing is a calling, not just a job. Know the difference between a calling and just working for money - if you're just working for money, it won't last long. But if you have a calling, you know within you that this is what you were created on this earth to do. Not that you won't get tired sometimes, but you'll do it because it's your calling, it's in you. Be true to yourself and don't try to please other people. The world needs more of you, your genuine self, not what somebody else thinks you should be. And don't be afraid of change. Sometimes people think they're stuck, or they're too old, or it's too late to make a change. It's never too late to change. I'll be graduating with my bachelor's degree next month, so if I can do it, you can do it too.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important value to me is helping people - it's my calling and it's saturated in everything I do. Whether I'm on the clock or not, I'm always helping people because that's what I was created to do. I believe deeply that mental health is just as important as physical health, and I want to reduce the stigma around mental illness by sharing my own story of being diagnosed with depression. I value authenticity and being true to yourself rather than trying to be what others think you should be. My faith is also central to who I am - I'm a Christian, and God gave me the vision to help others through the Fairs Foundation. I believe in using my experiences, both the good and the challenging, to encourage and support others in their journey.
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