Presentation at the University of Wyoming
Shattering the Glass Ceiling:
Stories and Wisdom from Successful Professionals
November 12, 2009
How a Professional Career Becomes a ‘Calling’
Penny A. Ralston, Ph.D.
Professor and Dean Emeritus
College of Human Sciences
Florida State University
Thanks to Dr. Vincenti, Dr. Williams, the students and others responsible for this
wonderful program on “Shattering the Glass Ceiling”.
What I would like to share briefly with you how my professional career evolved into a
“calling.” I define calling as “life’s works” or mission. Putting it plainly, it means that a
person is so passionate about something that they would do the work without pay. Or if
it a volunteer effort, a person can spend hours doing it without getting bored.
Does everyone develop a calling? Probably not because it does require a great deal of
time and energy.
But developing a calling is not just a nice thing to do. In today’s world, with the social,
economic and political challenges we face, being productive throughout our lives in
something we really care about is a responsibility.
President Obama, in his inaugural speech, spoke of the era of responsibility: “a
recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation
and the world…This is the price and the promise of citizenship.”
So although not a “requirement in life, a calling is something that our society needs right
now to help solve the many problems we have.
My particular calling is in community health, or helping people—especially those who
are underserved-- to improve their health through a community context. I will briefly
discuss three phases of my life that led to this calling:
Phase I:
Phase II:
Phase III:
Personal and Professional Foundation
Achievements and The Turning Point
Establishing a New Venture
Phase I: Personal and Professional Foundation
In this phase, I learned about how to be productive and use my time efficiently. I grew
up on a farm in Indiana and learned work ethic.
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I also learned that achieving and making things happen were important to me. I was an
excellent student and wanted to do my best in every class which help me to set high
standards. I also was a Joiner/Doer/Leader (President of National Honor Society & my
4-H club; Treasurer of Senior Class).
During this period, I had several mentors:
 Parents were first generation but valued education
 Many in the community were my mentors (teachers)
 Also, during this period, seeds were planted regarding my consciousness about
health. Father was diabetic thus I grew up in a health conscious household; also
saw what disease could do not only to the patient but to the whole family (father’s
health deteriorated due to complications from diabetes and he died when I was
16)
With regard to my Disciplinary Background
 FCS/Home economics was my main discipline from undergraduate through
doctoral level; I never specialized in any one area because I loved the flexibility
that being a generalist provided
 Social studies was my second major in undergraduate school (and my favorite
subject in high school); helped me to frame my interest in individual, family and
community well-being within a broader societal context
 Gerontology was my specialty in my doctoral program because I became
interested in the welfare of individuals and families as they age and how the
community could provide support for and services to them
Phase II: Achievements and The Turning Point
Following this foundational period, Phase II turned to achievements and began the
turning point towards health as a calling. I was involved in leadership, collaborations
and increasingly outreach while at the three universities where I worked. And my bio
shared many of these:
Leadership
 Chair of committees, department chair, dean
 AAFCS president
 Many mentors within the universities where I served and also within AAFCS
made this happen
 Began health related projects (e.g., mentoring programs for students interested
in health professions)
Collaborations
 Health became a disciplinary interest through collaborations with others.
Although I did not have a specialty in public health, my FCS background provided
a broad background with some nutrition content to work in an interdisciplinary
way
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Outreach
 During this period, my service activities began to grow as my interest in the
community became more pronounced.
o At ISU, I chaired the Gerontology Workshop Series
o Served on numerous boards YWCA, United Way, Rotary, Homeless
Shelter, Elder Care Services)
o While at FSU, chaired planning committee for community health seminar
for six years and helped to inaugurate the Day of Dialogue on Minority
Health (now in its 4th year)
What became clear to me that a career that appeared to be heading up the university
ladder was now going in a different direction. I no longer wanted to move vertically but
to use what I had learned in becoming a leader in FCS in the community.
Phase III:
Establishing a New Venture
By the time I stepped down from being dean of the College of Human Sciences, I knew
clearly what I wanted to do in my “post-deaning life” and that was to focus all of my
attention on the community with a focus on health.
The need for leadership in community health was compelling:
 U.S. spends billions on health care yet Americans are less healthy
 46 M people in U.S. are without health insurance
 Health disparities (or inequities) are pervasive across all aspects of health
 Need is to translate health information that we already know to the U.S. public
Based on my growing passion for health and the community and the compelling need, I
established the Center on Better Health & Life in June 2006.
By this time, I had no mentors to turn to but had to find the resources I needed myself to
make this new venture successful.
Since that time, much has happened. In fact, my life has gone into some exciting new
directions:
 Recipient of $1.75 M grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct five
year project on reducing cardiovascular risk in African Americans through church
based programs
 Invited to serve on NIH review panels
 Appointed by the President of the Florida Senate to serve on the Biomedical
Research Advisory Council (responsible for $50 M in research funds)
 Involved in the establishment of a statewide organization, Florida Alliance for
Health Professions Diversity
Although my life has evolved, I feet are still firmly planted in family and consumer
sciences. In fact, I see my current work as a real life example of identifying a perennial
problem and assembling the resources necessary to bring about change among
individuals, families and communities in relation to this problem.
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As you consider your own life and how it might evolve, remember these points that
helped me:
 Be guided your mentors who may see things in you that you don’t see in yourself.
If you do not have a mentor, then learn to be your own mentor.
 Remember that your current major may serve as a mechanism to lead you in
many different directions. You may find out, as I did, that other passions might
enter your life. Your current field of study may be a springboard to these
passions.
 Finally, be less concerned about straight lines or linear paths. Be more
concerned about “feeling your way” (what I view as a spiritual path).
In closing, did I shatter a glass ceiling? In my own way, I think I did. I have had the
great fortune to have a long academic career that has not evolved into a calling. I
moved in some new directions without fear of the uncertainty. And on a day-to-day
basis, I am totally fulfilled because I am using my talents--shaped so long ago on that
farm in Indiana—to help others.
I think my life is best represented by a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The greatest
gift is a portion of thyself.”
Thank you.