Tacy Lincoln Associate Director of Athletics, Saint Michael’s College
Essex Junction, VT
Job Title & Employer: Associate Director of Athletics, Saint Michael’s College
In a few sentences, tell us about yourself.
I have spent my entire professional life working in higher education. I started working at UVM soon after I finished my undergraduate degree and worked in a variety of capacities throughout my tenure there before joining the SMC Athletic Department in August 2015. It is a privilege to work in a field that has not only allowed me to grow professionally but to also contribute to the growth and development of the students I have the honor to work with every day.
Please tell us about your Saint Michael’s experience.
One day during my first week at Saint Michael’s College, I walked from the Tarrant Recreation Center to Saint Joseph’s Hall. It was a warm and sunny mid-August morning and the Chapel’s carillon was ringing out, “Tis a Gift to Be Simple.” I was struck by not only the beauty of the campus and the melody floating through the air but also by an overwhelming feeling of belonging. It is a feeling I will carry with me forever.
What advice would you give to women students?
My advice to women-identifying students: Be brave; be kind; be strong; be unstoppable; be fierce.
What are some strategies that can help women achieve a more prominent role in their organizations?
One must define for oneself what it means to be “prominent.” For me, prominence does not mean holding a particular title but rather being recognized as someone who is deeply committed to the greater good of the organization. As such, I have found authenticity and empathy to be very effective strategies to gain prominence.
What keeps you motivated and driven on a daily basis?
I am motivated each day to be the best person I can possibly be at all times. When I fall short of being that person, I look forward to the next day to be able to give my best. In the words of Maya Angelou, “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
What woman most inspires you and why?
There are many inspirational women and for many reasons it is difficult to identify just one person. With that said, it is the late Barbara Jordan, the former U.S. Congresswoman from Texas, who comes to my mind. Representative Jordan had the distinction of being “the first” throughout her political life. In 1966 she was the first Black woman ever elected to the Texas Senate; in 1971 she was the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress from the Deep South; in 1976 the first woman and the first Black person to be the keynote speaker at a Democratic National Convention.
I was “introduced” to Representative Jordan when listening to the Nixon impeachment hearings during the summer of 1972 on National Public Radio with my mother. I could not see Representative Jordan, but I heard her loud and clear, as she was an exceptional orator. Her words and her voice left a deep impression on me. But even more striking to me was her dedication to public service and the work she did on behalf of the greater good for all. Her passion to serve is evidenced through her words during the 1976 Democratic National Convention: “We are a people in search of a national community attempting to fulfill our national purpose, to create and sustain a society in which all of us are equal. We cannot improve on the system of government handed down to us by the founders of the Republic, but we can find new ways to implement that system to realize our destiny.” She inspires me to continue to work toward that destiny.
**Originally profiled in 2021**