1995 Alumna Learns from Her Children

Class of 1995 alumna Jennifer Olayon, her husband Adam Galinsky, are living, working, and traveling the world --- Singapore, Honolulu, and New York City. Along the way, they’re also raising two boys and learning from them.

Jenn recently wrote a blog for LetGrow, an organization that is leading the movement for childhood independence. Jenn's blog is a wonderful tale of empowered parenting and how children can inspire adventure in their parents.

In this tale of a family hiking adventure in Nevada, Jenn turned her “Keep ‘em close” instincts into “Give them space to explore.”

In talking with Jenn, she mentioned her "appreciation of Senior May Projects as an example of how Hamden Hall lent autonomy support." She also reflected fondly on her mentor and advisor, Dr. Barbara Beitch. 

“During my high school years under the pines, I was a work study student in her science lab,” recalled Jenn. “She gifted me opportunities and experiences for autonomy support. I also had a project with Yale School of Medicine’s Office for Women in Medicine and Ombudsperson, which was later converted into a summer internship once May projects were over." 

Jenn reports that she has been an active volunteer these days since “off ramping” when she had her children, Asher, 8, and Aden, 7. She has volunteered for “Reimagining Art Experiences for Children and Families” and organized school outings to Columbia basketball games, where Adam teaches, and she just started volunteering at the Met Museum’s 81st Street Studio. She has also lent time to book launch campaigns, including Adam’s books and Ellen Galinsky’s The Breakthrough Years: A New Scientific Framework for Raising Teens.

Her husband, Adam, is the Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics and Vice Dean at Columbia Business School, and his latest book is INSPIRE: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others, which is one of the books Jenn helped to launch.

Ever the proud alumna, Jenn signed off with "Go Hornets!"

Click here to read her blog post.