The power of a determined, resilient mindset — eager to learn from failure — is an indispensable key to success in any endeavor.
That was Holly Reichard’s central message in her keynote address at the Scholarship, Staff, Faculty and Student Awards ceremony at the NIU Convocation Center May 3.
A 2012 NIU graduate who earned her degree in mechanical engineering, Reichard will be inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame later this year. The Palatine, Illinois, native won two Mid-American Conference individual event championships, had three NCAA Regional appearances and was the 2009 MAC Gymnast of the Year.
During her 10-minute remarks, she observed that her competition pump-up song since she was 12 years old has been Aerosmith’s “Dream On.” It includes a lyric that is “so true and motivational,” Reichard said — “You’ve got to lose to know how to win.”
Failure can be your friend, in other words, if you channel it into a learning experience. The biggest battlefield is in the mind; Reichard shared a “breakthrough moment” during her Huskie career when, before a meet, she was giving herself a pep talk — but it wasn’t quite clicking.
“It felt like I was trying to convince myself to feel a certain way … why was I trying to convince myself to do something that I know that I can do?” she recalled. Reichard revised her self-talk verbiage to the point that “there was no doubt in my mind” that she’d succeed.
“It dawned on me how powerful your mindset and your attitude is … being able to shift your mindset from one literally to another has helped me in so many ways in approaching any obstacle that I’ve faced,” she shared.
For the past six years, Reichard has been employed by Northrop Grumman, where her current role is logistics program manager. In this capacity, she is involved in a variety of high-profile, confidential government programs. Previously, she worked for Illinois Tool Works, starting as an intern for her final two years at NIU and eventually becoming a full-time engineering project manager.
Reichard, who earned a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification in 2017, credits her time at NIU for preparing her well in her career.
“It feels like just yesterday I was here giving my own senior design presentation,” she said. “It’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 years.”
In comments introducing Reichard, CEET Dean David Grewell noted her athletic, academic and professional accomplishments. In addition, he cited her one-month study abroad experience as an undergraduate in China — a culture with a foreign language, unfamiliar foods and other elements beyond a typical American’s comfort zone.
“Kudos for her bravery on a number of different occasions,” Grewell said.
The keynote was followed by the awards recognition:
- Outstanding Young Researcher: Niechen Chen (pictured below, right, with Dean Grewell).
- Outstanding Young Teacher: Farzin Ferdowsi (pictured below)
- Outstanding Staff: Curtis Steel.
- Outstanding Junior Award for Academic Achievement: Mohammed Ahmed.
- Outstanding Senior Award for Academic Achievement: Jimmy Marczuk (pictured below).
- Outstanding Student Organization Award for Services and Engagement: Society of Women Engineers (pictured below).
- Dean’s Alumni Award: Joe Sener (pictured below, right).
