Carolyn Grow Dailey Honored with Administrator of the Year Award
Carolyn Grow Dailey was honored as the 2008 Administrator of the Year at the Romney Institute of Public Management banquet held on March 20, 2008. Dailey currently serves as president and CEO of Ascend Alliance, a nonprofit organization focusing on international humanitarian efforts. Previously, she served as a president, CEO and co-founder of the Engage Now Foundation and also as CEO of CHOICE Humanitarian. Dailey has facilitated community development programs and led expeditions in twelve different countries, blessing hundreds of thousands of individuals throughout the world.
Addressing Master of Public Administration students and faculty, Dailey focused her remarks on the motto, “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve,” which she says she first learned in her own home. Her father, Stewart L. Grow, founder of the Romney Institute’s MPA program, brought this motto to Brigham Young University. Dailey said it wasn’t uncommon for her to be asked at the dinner table, “Carolyn, what did you learn today?” When her dad asked a question his children didn’t know the answer to, they were invited to look up the response in the encyclopedia. Her parents also frequently invited international students to their home for dinner to discuss their countries and cultures. Dailey emphasized that home was always a learning environment that helped to shape her future professional interests.
Speaking of the challenge to “Go Forth to Serve,” Dailey emphasized three things: (1) noble leaders lift others (2) do it right and (3) take it on as a challenge.
Dailey has taken on several challenges throughout her life and said that it is important to learn from both the successes and the failures. She shared a personal story of when she and her husband attempted to climb Mount Chimborazo, a 21,000-foot peak in Ecuador. She remarked that they had failed on two previous attempts, due to weather and lack of preparation. However, on the third attempt they succeeded, taking on the challenge to explore a seldom-traveled route and using ropes to climb steep cliffs. After arriving at the summit of Mount Chimborazo, Dailey said she and her husband discussed the valuable lessons they had learned. They felt their success could be attributed to finding good mentors and guides, performing proper training and preparation, and having the courage to be trailblazers.
In her closing remarks, Dailey shared a quote by Rabindanath Tagore, “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was duty. I acted, and behold, duty was joy.” She concluded, “In this wonderful university we call mortality, this is our charge: to find joy in our duty, to remain committed to our mission, to even be willing to go where there is no path and leave a trail. In the words of a wise mentor, take it on as a challenge: Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve.”
Earlier in the afternoon, Dailey met with MPA students and faculty for a question and answer session. She discussed topics such as economic development, the movement from relief programs to development programs and nonprofit performance measurement. She also provided personal insight on topics such as balancing families and careers and finding fulfillment in mentoring others.
Two MPA students, Mark Macdonald and Chelsea Ruiz, had the opportunity to work with Ascend Alliance prior to beginning their graduate work. Speaking of her award, Mark commented, “I personally think Carolyn Dailey is a wonderful selection. While working with her I was very impressed with her overall efficiency, excellence at leading staff meetings, and her concern for and familiarity with staffers. She knew us all on a first-name basis and greeted everyone as she arrived at work.”
Dailey studied at both Brigham Young University and the University of Utah, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications. She later received her master’s degree in international relations, political parties and elections.
