Kayleigh Hanlin, is a 2007 Central Catholic graduate, who took the time stop by her alma mater in February to visit with her former teachers and share what she’s been doing since her graduation. Kayleigh has been working in the publishing and education space. Currently, she is the Purchasing Coordinator for the Junior Library Guild and is co-owner of Empowered Minds, a company with a mission to spread the message of self-love, confidence and empowerment. In September of 2018 she co-authored and published her first book called J.O.Y. (Just Own You) Journal. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Otterbein University. She is a Young Alumni Board member at Otterbein University and is an active volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.During her visit, she sat down to share some of her thoughts and answer some questions about her experience at Central.
What would you say was special about your experience at Central?My experience at Central was unique because I was a name, not a number or a face in the crowd. I was known personally by teachers and administrative staff alike (hopefully, most of that was in a good way, haha). They could provide more guidance and advice by knowing me, my personality and my background than they would have been able to if I was in a sea of hundreds of kids.
What do you think is our school’s greatest asset?The community. You really form meaningful and life-lasting relationships with your classmates, teachers, and staff. My friends from high school and I have watched each other graduate from college, get married, move across states, change jobs and start families. Through all life events, we still maintain our friendship.
How did Central Catholic prepare you for future success?During high school, I was able to join several different student organizations, try different clubs and activities so I could discover what I liked and didn’t like. I was active on the Speech & Debate Team and the Drama Club. Those experiences helped me to come out of my shell and discovered I enjoyed public speaking. It prepared me to be able to talk to anyone in my career, without feeling awkward and allowed me to make genuine connections.
To learn more about Kayleigh’s company or to explore her JOY Journal, visit http://mindsempowered.com/