Victoria Meehan
Director of Main Campus Admissions
What inspired you to enter the field of education, or got you started on your professional path?
My mother inspired me to enter the field of education. She was the first person in her family to go to college. She then became a 3rd grade teacher and also had a private tutoring business where she worked with kids ages 6 through 20 in every subject except French and Italian.
I worked for her as a peer tutor growing up and got to watch her transform students’ lives every day. She worked with kids who were so down on themselves, who thought they were stupid and unable to succeed and she gave them the skills, confidence and attention they needed not only to be successful in their classes but to be successful in life.
Years later I still run into people who tell me, “I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for your mom.” “She saved me.” “That woman helped make me who I am.” All because she believed in the power of education to empower and to change someone’s life.
Who was your female role model?
I have a few. If we’re talking famous people it’s Mother Teresa, Sandra Day O’Connor, and a tie between Amy Poehler and Tina Fey.
I have more role models that I know personally than famous ones though because I’ve actually seen them in real life modeling the behaviors and values that I think define an amazing woman.
Number one is always Mom, for her dynamism and everything previously discussed. Her mother, for her wisdom, kindness, empathy and grace. My great Aunt Bessie who after her husband died, raised 13 children alone in a house with dirt floors. She worked harder than anyone I knew and they may not have had much but all of her kids learned how to be good, caring people. They knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that they were loved and that their mother would give them the world if she could.
When I started as an admissions counselor at Post I added a few more, namely Devon Janecko, Christa Sebastian, Jennifer Nicknair, Gina Wellman, Jen Scholler Zaniewski and (it might sound a little cheesy because she’s my boss now but it’s the truth) Jeanna Sinn. These women were strong, smart, powerful Assistant Directors who always seemed to know exactly what to do, how to lead, how to motivate and I wanted to be just like them. Still do.
The more individuals I work with here, the more role models I add to my list of extraordinary women. I have learned so much from so many here, especially the women in our Associate Experience department. I don’t want to turn this into a novel, which it very easily could be, but one more very important person who has inspired me with her actions and words every day since I met her is Kimberly Williams. Kim has been in the ADP Admissions department for 9 years and in that time she has made every student and staff member that she has interacted with want to be a better person because of her inspirational nature and her beautiful soul. If I could be more like any woman at Post, it would be her.
Do you want share your interest or involvement in a community organization?
The community organization that I am proudest to work with is definitely the United Way of Greater Waterbury. What they do in our community is absolutely awe-inspiring. So many of our neighbors are in need and the assistance and support that this organization provides is a constant reminder that there is goodness and hope in the world. Education has the power to change a person’s life but so do each of us and it doesn’t always take big actions to make a big impact. The United Way gets that and because of it they are able to make a profound difference in people’s lives. For that and all the good works they do, they have my undying admiration and devotion.