April Alumna of the Month 2023: Breahna Blakely-Henderson ‘05
When did you start at Viz?
I started in 7th grade!
I started in 7th grade!
Where did you go to college after Viz, and why did you choose that school?
I attended Howard University in Washington, DC, and the University of the District of Columbia. I fell in love with Washington, DC after I visited to participate in the National Youth Leaders Conference during my junior year at Viz. Furthermore, I felt at home in the HBCU community and marveled at the opportunity to meet so many unique and diverse people from around the world.
What is one of your favorite Viz traditions or experiences and why?
I enjoyed serving in the choir all six years at Viz under the leadership of Mr. Schweizer! The annual Christmas program was my favorite and I feel like I know every Christmas song in existence word-for-word now. I still enjoy going back to Viz and joining in with the Viz choir when I am home for Christmas.
I enjoyed serving in the choir all six years at Viz under the leadership of Mr. Schweizer! The annual Christmas program was my favorite and I feel like I know every Christmas song in existence word-for-word now. I still enjoy going back to Viz and joining in with the Viz choir when I am home for Christmas.
This month’s virtue is Gratitude. Can you reflect on what you learned about this virtue at Viz and how that impacts how you embody this virtue in our daily life as an adult?
Viz instilled in us the importance of serving others. Serving others has been a constant in my life from Viz until now, and it is a daily reminder of how blessed I am – with education, family support, health, and career success – to be able to meaningfully lend a hand to others.
Are there any significant skills that you learned that you can attribute to your time at Viz?
Viz is a place where young women lead. Leadership is one of the most significant skills I learned at Viz, and that skill helped propel me as a leader on campus in undergraduate and graduate school, in my career in biomedical research, and in my volunteer organizations. Now in a leadership role at the National Institutes of Health, I still attribute much of my success to skills I learned at Viz.
Viz is a place where young women lead. Leadership is one of the most significant skills I learned at Viz, and that skill helped propel me as a leader on campus in undergraduate and graduate school, in my career in biomedical research, and in my volunteer organizations. Now in a leadership role at the National Institutes of Health, I still attribute much of my success to skills I learned at Viz.
What is something you are most proud of?
I am super proud to be an intentional mother. My children are my pride and joy.
I am super proud to be an intentional mother. My children are my pride and joy.
What is something you hope to accomplish in the future?
I have two major accomplishments coming in a couple of months that I have always hoped for. I will be receiving my Doctorate in Healthcare Administration and I will be giving birth to my first daughter, just days apart. I hope to show my daughter how powerful and impactful women are in making the world a better place!
I have two major accomplishments coming in a couple of months that I have always hoped for. I will be receiving my Doctorate in Healthcare Administration and I will be giving birth to my first daughter, just days apart. I hope to show my daughter how powerful and impactful women are in making the world a better place!
If you could share one piece of advice with Viz students, what would it be?
I would advise current Viz students to be true to themselves and embrace everything that makes them happy!
I would advise current Viz students to be true to themselves and embrace everything that makes them happy!
Visitation Academy is an independent, private Catholic school offering a coeducational Montessori preschool and Kindergarten program, the area's only all-girl elementary program for Grades 1-5, and an all-girl middle school and all-girl high school.
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