Compassionate connections

One, two, three! — and the Ukrainian women released the balloons, marking the completion of a professional development program. It was graduation day, but only a year earlier, these women and girls had traveled hundreds of miles from Ukraine to Romania, fleeing war and fear.

As the blue and yellow balloons — colors of the Ukrainian flag — drifted into the atmosphere, pride swelled in Sarah Reynolds ’14. As a facilitator for programs like these, Reynolds befriended these women and their advocates, helping organize initiatives that provided them with crucial social, psychological and employment support.

The opportunity to serve had been a lifelong dream of Reynolds, made possible by a fellow Flyer, and it had permanently altered her view of the world — and herself.

“I realized I’m not the same as I was before this,” Reynolds said. “I learned more about myself by working for others. I honestly see ‘work’ differently and am excited to see where that could lead me.”

It began when Reynolds’ employer, a Chicago-based business-consulting firm, granted her a six-month sabbatical of full-time service at a nonprofit of her choosing, an opportunity that would fulfill a dream Reynolds had since her days as an undergraduate finance and entrepreneurship student at UD. Seeking the right place to channel her passion for international development, she turned to UD’s Human Rights Center for guidance.

As it turned out, they had just the right person in mind.

“They told me I needed to meet Ann,” Reynolds said.

As president and chief executive officer of Counterpart International, a nongovernmental organization focused on community-based development and civil society support, Ann Hudock ’90 believes in the power of community.

Like Reynolds, Hudock was drawn to nonprofits as a student at UD, where she returned to pursue her master’s in international development, followed by a doctorate in development studies from the University of Sussex. She served as the career development co-chair for the UD Alumni Association and currently chairs the advisory council at UD’s Human Rights Center — and it was through this network that Reynolds caught her attention.

“Counterpart is an organization founded by a priest and a movie star,” Hudock explained. “Although we’re non-denominational, I always highlight this because unlikely partnerships are ingrained in our DNA.”

Hudock quickly identified Reynolds as an asset for the organization.

Leveraging her business acumen, Reynolds brought insights in market research and strategic planning to Counterpart’s women empowerment projects. Counterpart empowers women in leadership roles through programs that enhance their confidence, business skills and representation.

“At first, I wondered if I was in the position to make recommendations [to these programs] … what did I know about international development?” Reynolds said. “But [leadership at Counterpart] and the community there encouraged and validated me, and I learned I just had to be confident in my abilities, and let the work speak for itself.”

"Mentoring a student, or providing a professional opportunity, is priceless. That would be my call to action … go out, find your community and be of service. That’s the Marianist way.”

The most significant learning opportunity, Reynolds said, was one that would split her time between Counterpart’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., and southeastern Europe in Bucharest, Romania.

As a lead project manager, she helped displaced Ukrainian women find and build professional support networks in Bucharest. With workshops on self-care and one-on-one mentoring, she helped women navigate hardship, loss and stress while building support skills needed to help their families and peers. Some participants even transitioned into facilitator roles, ready to assist other women in need.

“These women came from different backgrounds and went through things I had never experienced, and I learned so much from them and so much about communication with diverse groups of people,” Reynolds said. “It’s something I’ve brought to my — to be quite honest — not very diverse consulting program … as a guide of how to treat people at work and beyond.”

When the sabbatical ended, neither Reynolds nor Counterpart wanted to part ways.

“Sarah was truly transformative,” Hudock said. “She helped us think about new ideas, new approaches, different market opportunities, and helped us avoid going down a path that data told us other people haven’t been successful there, and to maybe try a different path.”

Counterpart asked Reynolds to stay on as a freelance consultant — and she accepted.

“I still get coffee with [my director] from Counterpart, and I really just value all my connections there,” Reynolds said. “Leaders like Ann respect and value the person, and I learned so much from her in a professional sense but also just as a human being.”

For Hudock, it comes back to community.

“Sarah is part of the Counterpart family, and I hope she always will be,” Hudock said.

She said it’s also about how we use our gifts to make a difference.

“Mentoring a student, or providing a professional opportunity, is priceless,” she said. “That would be my call to action … go out, find your community and be of service. That’s the Marianist way.”

Illustration by Dan Zettwoch