Alumna of the Month - November 2022: Laura Arnold '84

I am going to cheat and mention two. The first is how the crescent ties us all together as Visitation graduates. It is fun to see people wearing them and know we have that instant connection. They are also special to each graduating class. I know that each of us from the Class of 1984 each remembers the promise that we made to one another that is engraved on the back.

The second was the apostolic service we did during May of our senior year. I tutored first graders at a school in the city that is no longer open. I learned that kids of all circumstances respond to someone who really listens to them and that one of the best ways to show you care is simply to listen.

 

I've been involved in leadership positions for most of my adult life. Thoughtful Concern for Others has helped define how I view the most successful leadership—servant leadership. Servant leadership is about seeing opportunities to lead by serving others, listening, and sharing the decision-making process. I saw this in action at Viz from student leaders, faculty, and the sisters. While I do not always meet the expectations of this leadership model, it is certainly something to which I aspire.

I experienced a very different, very concrete example of thoughtful concern for others as a freshman at Viz. I was pulled out of an August basketball workout and told I was going to try out for the field hockey team. I told the seniors responsible that I did not know how to play field hockey. They told me that they did not care because they were saving me from spending too many hours in the gym. I am glad I listened because I made some of my best friends as a freshman field hockey player, and it became my favorite sport.

 

I spend a lot of time writing and speaking in public as mayor. I first began to really develop those skills at Viz. I knew that I had good training as a writer when I got to Northwestern. As some of my friends struggled with papers and essays, I could rely on what I learned at Viz. My first public speaking experiences were in student leadership at Viz. While the experiences were consistently terrifying, I learned that fear should not be a barrier to actively engaging in your school and the broader community.

 

I am most proud of my three kids, Andy, Mary, and Will. They are kind, thoughtful, and growing into amazing adults.

 

As Mayor of Webster Groves, I have quite a few goals. The most important is to represent our residents with thoughtfulness and integrity.

 

You do not have to have it all figured out and anyone who thinks they do is bound to have doubts at some point. It is okay to try something, learn from it, and move on. As a student at NU, I was a poli sci, sociology, history and literature of religions, and psychology major at some point. I eventually found my way to a PhD in political science. Nothing has to be a straight path.