Her Story
About Darlene
Darlene Austin serves as a ROTC Instructor for Chicago Public Schools, where she has spent 20 years in education helping high school students prepare for successful futures. Having retired from the military, she was inspired to return to her neighborhood to teach and demonstrate that students can achieve success beyond their immediate surroundings. She shares her own life experiences and dreams with students to encourage forward thinking about college funding and becoming productive citizens. Austin holds a piecemealed master's degree and relies on support from Mr. Davis for motivation and ideas. She participates in Junior Achievement programs teaching elementary curriculum, joins anti-violence marches, and serves with the VFW Color Guard. Austin attributes her success to her ability to relate to students by putting herself in their shoes, noting that their return visits sharing success stories provide her greatest accolades. She values integrity as the core principle that defines how one treats others and cannot be taken away. In advice to young women entering education or ROTC, she emphasizes being humble, sincere, and true to oneself.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Darlene
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think because I could put myself in other people's shoes, even the students. I sit down and talk to them, and I can relate to them, because sometimes I've been there with them, I've done it before. My biggest accolade is when they come back to me and say, oh, I made it. Those success stories are the ones that give you accolades.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be humble. Be yourself, be true to yourself, because everybody can feel that when you're not sincere. You have to be sincere and humble. People are drawn towards you if you're honestly humble.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity. That's the one thing nobody can take from you. That's all you got in the world is your integrity. Your name, your integrity, how you treat people, that's the only thing you got in your world is integrity.
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