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Older Americans Month: Antonette Burroughs

May is Older Americans Month, a unique opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions that individuals in this age group make to society. In honor of this occasion, we celebrate Antonette Burroughs, Strategic Partnerships Manager for TV’s Central Region. By cultivating relationships between TV and external organizations, Antonette fosters alliances that enhance the student experience and drive innovation and growth at TV. Antonette is passionate about TV’s mission and dedicated to helping students achieve their academic and professional goals. She explains, “As SPMs, we discuss our pillars with corporate leaders, K-12 districts, transfer institutions, community-based organizations, and potential students every day. This is our core message, and I am proud to share it widely. I will strike up a conversation with literally anyone about TV and how we are changing lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity every day.”

Antonette’s journey to TV is a testament to the power of perseverance. She initially attempted to secure a position as a Program Mentor in 2015. “I applied for that job posting and many others over the next many years but was not selected.” Four years later, Antonette was working as an Adjunct Professor at Ivy Tech Community College when she found another TV Program Mentor opening and decided to try again. “I saw a Program Mentor job posting and applied without much confidence that the outcome would be positive. After all, I had applied for seven different mentoring job postings over the years. What fueled my determination was the fact that I knew I could be successful at mentoring learners.” Her fortitude paid off, and she was officially hired at TV in June 2019. Antonette has a long history of prevailing through hardships, and she draws upon her personal experiences to inspire and uplift students, empowering them to weather adversity with courage and resolve. “When working one-on-one with students, I can wholeheartedly empathize with them because I know the resilience it takes to reach a challenging goal. I have overcome many challenges in my life, including being a first-generation college student without family support.” Through her trials and triumphs, she’s developed an exceptional ability to motivate others and help them navigate tough situations. “My first-hand knowledge of the barriers learners face provided me with a toolkit for supporting them through difficult times and enthusiastically celebrating their wins.” Antonette recently received the following text from a TV graduate: “You are the best mentor, and you made a difference in my life. You deserve a piece of the credit for everything I achieve after TV.”

Antonette supports not only TV students but also colleagues and peers who are dealing with the issues common among the aging population. She is a subcommittee chair for the Silver Owls Employee Resource Group (ERG), a community that helps expand access and opportunity for TV's older employees. Her involvement in the ERG has provided valuable insights into the hurdles that seniors face. “Retirement looks very different in 2024 than it did a generation ago…workers remain in the workforce longer while continuing to bring value to their employers. Ensuring their needs are met for meaningful, inclusive work is important.” Antonette recognizes that aging individuals can sometimes experience discrimination or feel sidelined, saying, “I have an example of a recent instance where I felt a decision was made without the older worker in mind. Keeping diversity and inclusion in mind is something that I would like to see baked into the decision-making process to ensure we are not disadvantaging any groups unintentionally.”

Antonette also serves on a committee that studies DE&I matters and provides recommendations to TV leadership. She acknowledges that embracing diversity involves honoring individuals of all ages and ensuring their voices are heard. “[The fact that] people are retiring much later in life, if at all, matters. It is important that TV has an engaged and empowered older workforce that is willing and able to make a significant difference to our mission.”

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