{"id":13275,"date":"2024-12-10T14:45:20","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T19:45:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/?p=13275"},"modified":"2024-12-16T15:36:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T20:36:00","slug":"perseverance-and-positivity-kiki-dixon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/perseverance-and-positivity-kiki-dixon\/","title":{"rendered":"Perseverance and Positivity: Kiki Dixon&#8217;s Leadership Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Many leaders are shaped by their experiences, each bringing unique perspectives informed by their personal and professional journeys. In today\u2019s interconnected world, it\u2019s more crucial than ever to amplify the voices of leaders from all backgrounds, enabling organizations to embrace compassion and support the needs of diverse communities.<\/p>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32945769\/#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20%2851.8%25%29%20of%20adults%20had%20at,27.2%25%20of%20US%20adults%20had%20multiple%20chronic%20conditions.\">over half of all U.S. adults reporting a chronic illness<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/ncbddd\/disabilityandhealth\/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html#:~:text=More%20than%201%20in%204%20%2828.7%20percent%29%20adults,the%20United%20States%20have%20some%20type%20of%20disability.\">more than one quarter identifying as disabled<\/a>, the call to elevate leaders who understand these challenges firsthand has never been more pressing. Although <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2024\/05\/survey-how-people-experience-chronic-illness-at-work\">workers without chronic illnesses typically perceive their workplaces as inclusive<\/a>, the majority of those living with these conditions report feeling excluded and unsupported \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcg.com\/press\/10may2023-companies-drastically-underestimating-how-many-employees-have-disabilities\">leading to struggles ranging from burnout to anxiety<\/a>. As a result, many employees avoid communicating their conditions to employers, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/worklife\/article\/20211101-the-workers-keeping-their-disabilities-secret\">worrying it will affect their career growth and professional reputation.<\/a><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13276\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13276\" style=\"width: 353px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"13276\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/perseverance-and-positivity-kiki-dixon\/kiki-dixon-human-services\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Kiki-Dixon-Human-Services.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1169,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Kiki Dixon Human Services\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Kiki-Dixon-Human-Services-228x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Kiki-Dixon-Human-Services-779x1024.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-13276\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Kiki-Dixon-Human-Services-228x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"353\" height=\"464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Kiki-Dixon-Human-Services-228x300.jpg 228w, https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Kiki-Dixon-Human-Services-779x1024.jpg 779w, https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Kiki-Dixon-Human-Services.jpg 1169w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 353px) 100vw, 353px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13276\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kiki Dixon, MSOL<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Amidst the leaders bringing visibility to the disabled community is Goodwin University graduate Kiki Dixon, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/majors\/msol\/\">MSOL<\/a>. Using her personal experiences with cerebral palsy, Dixon is opening doors and removing barriers \u2014 aspiring to empower and inspire those facing adversity.<\/p>\n<h2>Encouraged to advocate<\/h2>\n<p>Reminiscing about her coming-of-age in Hartford, CT, Kiki Dixon can&#8217;t remember a time when she didn&#8217;t dream of making a difference. \u201cI\u2019ve always felt like I have a calling,\u201d she reflects. \u201cWhen I was younger, that looked like becoming a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yet for Kiki, the road to aspiration was often impeded by public education. Born with cerebral palsy (CP), a condition affecting the ability to move and control your muscles, her school frequently attempted to isolate her in special education classrooms \u2014 socially and academically limiting her from the opportunities she craved.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"13277\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/perseverance-and-positivity-kiki-dixon\/kids-975256_1280\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/kids-975256_1280.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"851,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"kids-975256_1280\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/kids-975256_1280-199x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/kids-975256_1280-681x1024.jpg\" class=\" wp-image-13277 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/kids-975256_1280-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"356\" height=\"537\" \/><\/p>\n<p>But she wasn&#8217;t without a devout advocate. Unwilling to see her daughter restricted by misconceptions about CP, Kiki&#8217;s mother made her voice heard. \u201cMy mother always advocated for me and pushed schools to put me in non-special education classes,\u201d she remembers. \u201cShe encouraged me to be a self-advocate, too, which set the scene for my college journey.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>Pursuing professional excellence<\/h2>\n<p>With her mother&#8217;s support, Kiki navigated her K-12 experiences before beginning the next stage of her journey: higher education.<\/p>\n<p>In 2015, she began laying the foundation for a career helping others when she earned her associate degree in disability services at Manchester Community College. This first degree offered a smooth transition to her next academic goal. \u201cI used my degree in disability services as a lead-in for earning my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/majors\/human-services\/bs-degree\">bachelor\u2019s in Human Services<\/a> at Goodwin University,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"13278\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/perseverance-and-positivity-kiki-dixon\/1-riverside-drive-2023-small-p12\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-Riverside-Drive-2023-Small-P12.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1365\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7M4&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1686822318&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.01&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"1 Riverside Drive 2023 Small P12\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-Riverside-Drive-2023-Small-P12-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-Riverside-Drive-2023-Small-P12-1024x683.jpg\" class=\" wp-image-13278 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-Riverside-Drive-2023-Small-P12-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"536\" height=\"357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-Riverside-Drive-2023-Small-P12-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-Riverside-Drive-2023-Small-P12-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/1-Riverside-Drive-2023-Small-P12.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 536px) 100vw, 536px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Beginning her BS in 2016, Kiki quickly discovered that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/majors\/human-services\/\">Goodwin\u2019s Human Services program<\/a> presented the opportunities she sought \u2014 equipping her to make a big-picture impact on her community. \u201cIn disability services, you learn more about how to help individuals,&#8221; she explains. &#8220;Human Services builds on that by teaching you about providing family, community, and organizational support.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After completing her BS in 2021, she was dedicated to advancing her professional development. Wondering how best to position herself for a career in leadership and advocacy, her answer came from a Goodwin faculty member. \u201cI wanted to earn my master\u2019s degree, and Dr. Sherri Bernier recommended the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/majors\/msol\/\">Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) program<\/a>,\u201d Kiki remembers. \u201cI\u2019m a people person, and she thought a program focused on working with people in leadership would be a great fit for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>At Goodwin University, your voice matters. our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/majors\/msol\/\">Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) program<\/a> is designed to unleash the leader in you, preparing you to guide diverse teams and communities through inclusion, empathy, and action.<\/em><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Graduating with grit<\/h2>\n<p>Engaging in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/majors\/msol\/curriculum\">MSOL curriculum<\/a> encompassing topics from self-leadership to strategic innovation, Kiki found both the rigor and flexibility necessary to tailor her studies to her goals and interests. \u201cEarning my MSOL is one of the greatest things I\u2019ve accomplished,\u201d she offers.<\/p>\n<p>However, the road wasn&#8217;t easy, and her plans came close to a halt. First planning to begin her MSOL in the summer of 2022, she initially delayed due to complications related to COVID-19. Even after overcoming this hurdle, health issues continued presenting obstacles \u2014 threatening to hinder her aspirations. \u201cI was on the verge of leaving,\u201d she recounts. \u201cI was dealing with kidney dialysis and blood poisoning, so I was overwhelmed and ready to give up.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Loyal to Kiki and her pursuit of academic excellence, the University community rallied behind her. &#8220;Dr. Sandi Coyne Gilbert (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/majors\/msol\/program-director\">MSOL program director<\/a>) and the Goodwin faculty and staff were so encouraging with my healing,&#8221; she explains. &#8220;With their support, I was still able to finish and graduate on time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"13279\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/perseverance-and-positivity-kiki-dixon\/dsc08343\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/DSC08343-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1708\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"DSC08343\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/DSC08343-scaled-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/DSC08343-scaled-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-13279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/DSC08343-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"536\" height=\"357\" \/><\/p>\n<p>With community support and persistence on her side, Kiki continued through the gateway to a life-changing education abounded with meaningful experiences. Giving her time to United Way&#8217;s volunteer recruitment program as part of her MSOL studies, she embodied her passion for service and leadership \u2014 inspiring others to get involved and give back to their communities.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of commanding her unique voice and identity as a leader, she identifies her final project as the defining milestone. \u201cThe experience of writing my MSOL capstone was transformative, and it made a world of difference,&#8221; she says. &#8220;I focused my thesis on leadership and support for single parents, immigrants, and people with disabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>What makes Goodwin University a wonderful place to learn and grow? We would love to hear your answer! Become an advocate for educational excellence \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/forms.office.com\/r\/4vCaHwuGiE\">share your Goodwin story today!<\/a><\/em><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>&#8220;A little kindness goes a long way\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>In the days leading up to the 2024 Commencement Ceremony, during which Kiki\u2019s MSOL degree would be conferred, the University celebrated her remarkable resilience at the Class Awards Ceremony. There, she was honored with the Irmgard Wetenko Memorial Award, recognizing her strength in overcoming personal obstacles while achieving her educational goals.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"13280\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/perseverance-and-positivity-kiki-dixon\/ga24__161\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GA24__161-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"GA24__161\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GA24__161-scaled-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GA24__161-scaled-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-13280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/GA24__161-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"576\" height=\"384\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking to the next stage of her professional growth, Kiki has her sights set on earning a doctoral degree in social work. For the present, however, she\u2019s prioritizing her health. \u201cI\u2019m currently focusing on my kidney dialysis and the process of getting a kidney transplant,\u201d she shares. Despite these ongoing health challenges, she finds strength in her 15-year-old daughter, Joy. \u201cShe keeps me motivated and always keeps me going.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Hopeful to inspire self-advocacy and compassion in future students \u2014 regardless of the adversity they may face \u2014 Kiki offers words of perseverance and positivity. \u201cA little kindness goes a long way. Be the leader you always wanted. Keep going and don\u2019t give up.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><em>At Goodwin University, our MSOL program raises the bar for leadership \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/majors\/msol\/\">equipping you to become the leader you always wished you had.<\/a> Ready to get started? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/landingpages\/msol\">Discover how you can make a difference with an MSOL today!<\/a><\/em><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many leaders are shaped by their experiences, each bringing unique perspectives informed by their personal and professional journeys. In today\u2019s interconnected world, it\u2019s more crucial than ever to amplify the voices of leaders from all backgrounds, enabling organizations to embrace &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/perseverance-and-positivity-kiki-dixon\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Perseverance and Positivity: Kiki Dixon&#8217;s Leadership Journey<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":13279,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1063],"tags":[268,486,1112,1069],"class_list":{"0":"post-13275","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-profiles","8":"category-university-news","9":"tag-featured","10":"tag-msol","11":"tag-profile","12":"tag-student-profile","14":"fallback-thumbnail"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Being Positive and Persevering in Leadership | Goodwin University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how one student, despite battles with cerebral palsy, opened doors and overcame barriers to become a leader. 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