Recently, nearly 70 Sacred Heart alumnae shared their professional experiences with juniors and seniors at Career Day! We are so grateful to our Forever Valkyries--from the Class of 1958 to the Class of 2020--for returning home to SHA to help guide, teach, and mentor the next generation of Valkyrie leaders.
The morning kicked off with an inspirational address from Maggie Clines '07, COO and Creative Director of Anchal Project, as part of the Jean Frazier Leadership Institute program. Maggie and her sister, Colleen Clines ’03, founded the Anchal Project in 2010 to provide meaningful jobs for abused and marginalized women in India.
Maggie admitted that when she was in school, she wasn’t sure what her career path would be. She
leaned on her artistic and design talents and studied design and architecture, but she wasn’t satisfied
that she’d found her passion. A trip to India she took with her sister inspired them to launch the Anchal
Project. Today, Anchal Project provides valuable skills training in textile production and fair-wage
employment to women. The holistic program includes education workshops, health services, and
community benefits, fostering financial independence and creativity.
The Anchal artisans create award-wining handmade products that blend traditional techniques with eco-friendly methods, minimizing environmental impact and championing sustainability in the fashion
industry. As COO & Creative Director, Maggie spearheads Anchal's design aesthetic and product
development, and has successfully developed, designed, and grown Anchal’s brand into an internationally recognized organization.
Maggie encouraged students to seek their passions and to know that over time, those passions may
evolve. She urged students to embrace the power of service and volunteer work, where you learn and
polish your inner talents and empathy. Choosing a personal path is more about exploration and the
discovery of what you love, and embracing unexpected opportunities may bring the greatest joy. She
shared that she and her sister Colleen’s foundation from SHA impacted their career choices and guided
them to making a meaningful difference for others in need.
Now, more than 15 years after the founding of the Anchal Project, the Clines sisters bond with artisans, customers, national brands, and followers who all share the beauty of being a part of something greater than themselves – a community that champions women’s empowerment and sisterhood. The Anchal Project’s belief that design can be the catalyst for social innovation, and education is the first step to creating positive change.
She reminded students that a Valkyrie is courageous always and urged students to go forth and
experience life in many ways. The SHA juniors and seniors spent the rest of Career Day exploring their
passions. Careers represented included professionals from dozens of fields including medicine, law,
marketing and public relations, education, banking, real estate theatre, law enforcement and more.
Juniors and seniors also participated in a college admissions and financial aid workshop with the
University of Kentucky and Xavier University.
We are so grateful to all of our presenters for spending part of your day with us at SHA!
#LeadWithHeart #JFLI #SHASisterhood #ValkyriePride
