I was forced to retire but it was a blessing in disguise. I decided it was the perfect time to go back to school!
Garden City, NY (PRWEB) July 29, 2014
NAPW honors Bobbi Hershberger as a 2014 Professional Woman of the Year. Ms. Hershberger is recognized with this prestigious distinction for leadership in education. As the largest, most-recognized networking organization of women in the country, spanning virtually every industry and profession, the National Association of Professional Women is a powerfully vibrant networking community with over 600,000 members and nearly 300 Local Chapters.
“I was forced to retire but it was a blessing in disguise.” says Ms. Hershberger. "I decided it was the perfect time to go back to school!”
Before she was given the “opportunity” to take a retirement package, Ms. Hershberger worked as a private security officer. She enjoyed her job; it was something she had always wanted to do ever since she was a young girl. “I had an uncle who was a private security officer at a warehouse and he would always talk about it,” Ms. Hershberger recalls. Although she dreamed of becoming a police officer, being a woman made it difficult for her to pursue that dream, she said, so she eventually got her license in cosmetology. However, she returned to school at the age of 56 and got her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and became a security officer. “I said, ‘I’m going for it now!’”
When faced with retirement and more time on her hands, Ms. Hershberger decided to continue with her education. She is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Service Leadership at Capella University and hopes to one day earn her doctorate. A family tragedy (her son, a veteran, was murdered 25 years ago) has spurred Ms. Hershberger’s interest in PTSD and that is what she is focusing her thesis on. “It’s difficult for returning war vets,” she says.
About NAPW
NAPW’s mission is to provide an exclusive, highly advanced networking forum to successful women executives, professionals and entrepreneurs where they can aspire, connect and achieve. Through innovative resources, unique tools and progressive benefits, professional women interact, exchange ideas, advance their knowledge and empower each other.