Faithful Career Moves - It Takes Bold Moves to Make a Big Difference

Jun 13 2023 47 mins

Dr. Susan R. Madsen is challenging the entire state of Utah to step up and ensure that Utah women and girls thrive in critical areas by 2030.

MAKING A BOLD MOVE

By her own account, Dr. Susan R. Madsen is unlike the role models of her youth. Raised in a traditional family with a dad who worked and a mom who stayed home, she expected to parent her kids similarly. And for a few years, she did.

But as much as she loved being with her children, Dr. Madsen felt unfulfilled as a stay-at-home mom. She remembers, "When I had my first baby, I thought that all of a sudden, I would enjoy being at home. It just didn't kick in for me."

Instead, denying the part of herself that longed to pursue educational and career goals led to situational depression and discontentment that continued until she made a big move.

Rather than solely being at home with her kids or spending her days at school or in an office, this then-mother of two (eventually four) dared to do both. En route to becoming Dr. Madsen, Susan cared for her kids while returning to school, working part-time, volunteering in the community, serving at church, and more--all with the support of her husband and encouragement from above.

"Through every single decision to go to school and to do all the pieces I've done, I have been on my knees and sought guidance from God... Sometimes you yearn to do things and think you can't, but then you figure out, maybe it's not either-or. Maybe there's a space in between," says Dr. Madsen.

Of course, finding that space and building a career while raising kids is challenging. But in her case, single-tasking was not an option. God needed her to move forward fast.

TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Nearly 14 years ago, Dr. Madsen started the Utah Women in Leadership Project (UWLP) to research why so few women in Utah attend college and graduate. Though intended to last only a couple of years, the assignment evolved into more than a decade of finding ways to strengthen the impact of Utah girls and women. The organization now delivers research, resources, and training to "inform, inspire, and ignite growth and change for all Utahns."

But it's not enough.

Listen to the full interview to better understand the breadth of the issues, the depth of Dr. Madsen's commitment to solving them, and how you can get involved.

Mentioned in this Interview

Utah Women and Leadership Project (UWLP)
A Bolder Way Forward (BWF)
How Change Happens by Leslie R. Crutchfield

~~~~~
PLEASE: Rate and Review this podcast so other women can be inspired in their faithful career moves.

Visit the website:
FaithfulCareerMoves.com: Faith-based Career Coaching for Stay-at-Home Moms

Get the book:
Return to Work with Confidence: A faith-based guide to help stay-at-home moms re-enter the workforce