Mary Harris Freeman:
A Shining Light and Positive Influence
My mother, Mary Harris Freeman, has been such a shining light and
positive influence not only to her own daughters, but to many others as
well. She has a personality that is contagious as she brings smiles to
the faces of others. Her life's passion is to make others happy.
Through her words and actions, my mother taught me and my siblings
grace and the importance of being kind to others. She also ensured that
we understood the value and opportunities that education provides.
As far back as I can remember, my mother always told us to "remove
the word can't from your vocabulary." She made it very clear that we
could accomplish whatever we set out to do. It is difficult to explain
the impact that those 7 words have made on my life. Those words provided
me with the freedom to reach for all of my personal and professional
goals without fear of failure. What a wonderful gift to give your
child!
My mother worked for many years with the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA). Her work with USDA has been a source of inspiration
to me over the years. She began her career with USDA as a secretary and,
although she did not have a college degree, she moved up many grades to
the position from which she retired, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
Specialist. I am very proud of her for this accomplishment. She was my
very first example of a woman working against the odds to accomplish her
goals.
After retiring from USDA, Mary brought smiles to adults and children
alike with her work as a professional clown, "Winnie the Clown." It was
not uncommon to see her at ACE-sponsored events entertaining employees
and their families by taking their pictures, dancing, or playing a game
with them. In 2005, my mother underwent surgery to correct a congenital
heart problem. This surgery slowed her down a bit and "Winnie the Clown"
went into semi-retirement.
Still wanting to make others happy, my mother used her photography
skills to continue to bring smiles to others. She loves to surprise
friends and family members with photo albums full of pictures that are
meaningful to them, from events such as weddings, graduations, and
bridal showers. When they try to pay her for her "labor of love," she
says that their smile is payment enough.
Although my mother did not attend college, she made it very clear to
her children that they must get college degrees in order to expand their
options in life. Even in my own case where my "teenage attitude" caused
me to initially push off the thought of attaining higher education past
high school, my mother stepped in and insisted that I attend college. I
thank her immensely for this act. Had she not stepped in with guidance,
I would not have received Bachelor of Science and Master of Business
Administration degrees from the University of Maryland Baltimore County
and The George Washington University, respectively. I would also not be
the Interim Chief Information Officer for the American Council on
Education today.
My mother's innate kindness combined with her professional
accomplishments have taught me and my siblings that it is not enough to
reach our own goals, but it is also important for us to help others to
reach their goals along the way. I thank my mother for teaching and
showing me the pure joy that comes from helping someone else.
I celebrate my mother and the many women like her who put others
first and are happy in doing so because they enjoy seeing the fruits of
their labor in the achievements of those they have helped. It is women
like my mother who have paved the way for women like me.
—Submitted by Kara Freeman
Interim CIO, American Council on Education
| 35 Weeks of Women, OWHE Anniversary, Mary Harris Freeman |
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