Her Story
About Emily
Emily Bryson is a College and Global Readiness Specialist with five years of experience in education. She currently works with students primarily in grades 5 through 8, and occasionally through grade 12, guiding them through college applications while developing leadership skills and financial independence and literacy. Bryson began her career in music education as an elementary music teacher through Teach for America in rural Darlington, South Carolina. She later held educational sales positions and served as an admissions counselor at Venus Prep Academy before moving into her current role. She earned a bachelor's of music from James Madison University and a master's in science and educational studies from Johns Hopkins University, and she holds a data analytics certificate. Bryson is committed to continuous learning, including courses in Spanish and American Sign Language. She attributes her success to inspirational people in her life, particularly Ms. Trotter, and values service above all, which she demonstrates through volunteering at Spirit Equestrian in Herndon, Virginia, the Darlington Humane Society, and her college service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Emily
01What do you attribute your success to?
I absolutely attribute my success to the people in my life. I have been incredibly lucky to have inspirational people in general, but especially inspirational women in my life. Particularly one woman, Ms. Trotter, who I met in South Carolina. She was one of the teachers at the school I taught at... she has 28 years of experience and knowledge that she was happy to share with me and guide me through it all. She still guides me through it all. We talk on the phone almost weekly.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't stay somewhere just out of comfort. That was a big theme where I thought I wanted to be a music teacher, of course, and I was willing to stay there forever, even though I didn't love it, just because it was what I knew... my mom actually was the one who told me, don't just stay in a career because it's comfortable and you're already there, and if you feel something else, follow that calling.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Ask questions when you're not sure. Speak up when you have an idea. Oftentimes, we have this gut feeling, I think especially as women, we have this gut feeling of oh, this could be done this way, or here's an idea that I think could work. And I think often, also as women, we're taught to let somebody else make that suggestion, or sit back and see what everybody else says first. My advice would be kind of to fight that, and to be the one to speak up, to offer ideas, trusting yourself that you do have great ideas. Your gut is most likely right, and always ask questions so you can learn and just grow through every step of the way, too.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in the field of education is a lot of teachers coming out of the classroom. I know when I came out of the classroom, I felt like one in a million, and it was hard for me to differentiate what makes me different from every other teacher, especially teachers who have taught 20, 25 years. So that's where I think there's a lot of opportunity. Taking that question, reflecting, and saying, what does make me different?
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The value of service has always come up on top for me. I was in a service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, in college which although I always had a value for service, that really ignited it. So between the therapeutic horse barn, spirit, I've done a lot of work in South Carolina with the Humane Society, the Darlington Humane Society. Everything through personal and professional is guided in the root of service. How do you serve the people you lead? How do you serve the people that are around you? How do you serve somebody who's struggling? All of the above, what does your life look like through service?
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