BARR’s Founder and Executive Director Angela Jearbek was recently recognized by her alma mater, the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, as the Donald McNeely Center 2020 Social Entrepreneur of the Year.
As she accepted the award, she thanked her family, colleagues (including several that attended the event who were also alumni) and the college’s team who have all played an important role in her life. She shared three mantras that the College of Saint Benedict helped shape during her education that she has continued to cherish throughout her career.
First, she shared the importance of listening to one another. This is a critical piece to understanding where others are at whether it is between friends, coworkers, or an educator to a student. The second mantra Jerabek shared is how we must believe that when people are showing up, they are doing the best they can. She talked about how through life’s many challenges, we must assume that others are doing everything they can with what they have been given. This alludes to her third mantra of valuing the impressive strengths that everyone brings to the table.
“You have to recognize the tremendous talent that every person currently has and if you stick with them and support them, that talent continues to show up in tremendous ways,” said Jerabek. “It is an incredible honor to be working with these schools and seeing this talent show up.”
Each year, the Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship celebrates influential and successful alumni of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. The Social Entrepreneur of the Year award recognizes the achievements and qualities of an alumnus who best exemplifies the ideals of social entrepreneurship by founding an organization. This award honors those who have established an organization that enriches humanity, addresses a social issue in a manner that demonstrates notable characteristics and achievements, and upholds Benedictine values in the workplace and in their lives.
“I think that mantra really started for me after my experience with Saint Ben’s that I felt like people knew who I was, knew I was showing up the best I could and knew I had tremendous talent, and I am incredbily appreciative of it,” Jerabek stated.