Stanford GSB: Stanford Business February 2000

STAY-AT-HOME PARENTS CAN STAY IN TOUCH
As a classmate of Cheryl Cole Dodwell's, I wanted to thank her for the willingness to step forward and write the article "When the Professional Becomes Personal" in the last [November 1999] issue. Cheryl is one of many women from my class whom I consider the real success stories of the MBA Program. They have managed to grow as entire people and recognize the importance of family as well as careers and make choices that are sometimes hard in the peer groups that we keep. They aren't caught up in who has made how much money or who's had an article about them in the Wall Street Journal. Their conversations tend to be more about potty training, soccer games, and Halloween costumes. I am one of the biggest fans of the Business School (even work here now) but fear that the GSB sometimes forgets a very important part of its community that is taking time from the traditional roles of the MBA world to help foster and grow the next generation. It is an extremely valuable contribution that is all too often misunderstood. One quote I read recently drove the point home: "Making a living is not nearly as rewarding as making a life."

I picked up the phone and called Cheryl after reading her article. After chatting for a while, I was once again reminded of the importance for Cheryl and other parents to connect with peers from the GSB who have faced similar challenges and decisions. As a result of this conversation, we have initiated a new distribution list through the GSB Online Alumni Directory for stay-at-home parents who would like to connect with other GSB grads who have made the same choice.

If you wish to subscribe to the distribution list, please go to https://alumni.gsb.stanford.edu/directory/ and enter your user name and password for the directory. Click on Mail Groups, then check off Alumni-Parents AtHome and scroll to the bottom to click on Update Mailgroups. If you don't know your user name and password, send an email to alumni_admin@gsb.stanford.edu. Include your name and class year. We will email the information back to you.

There are many more of you than you think. You aren't doing this alone. And many of us who haven't had to face those decisions yet applaud you for them.

Editors' note: Linda Wells is project manager for GSB online alumni services and codirector of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Business School.

YOU'VE GOT GUTS
Bravo to Cheryl Cole Dodwell, MBA '93, for her "First Person" article on going "over to the other side" and becoming a full-time mom. As one of the first women in my class (MBA '95) to become a mom and I think one of the few to cut back to half time, I completely identify with all of the emotions, challenges, social pressures, perceived peer judgment, and, yes, satisfaction that comes with the decision to be at home more than in the office. I also applaud her relentless optimism and her courage. I have avoided becoming a true full-time mom because I think it's much more difficult than any corporate job. The article struck many familiar chords. Thank you and well done!

We'd love to hear from you! Please send your letters to Stanford Business, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5015 or gsb_newsline@gsb.stanford.edu. Letters may be edited for length.