Dream BIG! IU Testimonials

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The Dream BIG! program has helped IU faculty and staff across our campuses realize and acheive their dreams. Hear what they are saying about the Dream BIG! program.

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"No one ever asked me what I want, I was always the giver as a mother, daughter, wife, friend, employee, etc. My dream coach has a wonderful way of asking me open ended questions that engages me to think and express what is important to me that I not have fully recognized about myself. And I realized it is only from that place of truth, that I can create anything if it is reflective of my values.”

An IU Dream Catcher

Participant Testimonials

  • Inaugural Cohort - IUPUI 2018-2019

    • "I achieved several personal successes while participating in the Dream Big program- doubled my garden space, created a backyard movie series, became more involved in my neighborhood and surrounding community. The lasting impact of those 12 months is immeasurable. Dream Big helped to build up my confidence, taught me to divide up each big goal into smaller achievable steps, and allowed me to work with a mentor who helped me to take all those big thoughts and ideas and turn it into a career path. Since completing the program, I have earned a promotion into a leadership role within my department and am now managing a team of 9. And as of 2022 I am the leader of my neighborhood community group. The Dream Big program changed my life."
    • "I cannot explain how absolutely phenomenal the DREAM BIG! program has been, I owe so much of my current state of happiness to the program." 
    • “I would not have signed up for graduate school without the Dream BIG! program to inspire me."
    • “My entire life I wanted to be a flight attendant and travel the world. We were poor growing up so my parents would stop by White Castle get a sack of burgers and take us kids to the Indianapolis Airport. We would park along the interstate and watch the planes come in and take off and eat white castles. Little did I know that my life years later would involve travel. In 2018, I was part of the first pilot program and it changed my life. All of my dreams were put on a dream board and all these little girl/big girl dreams will come to completion at the end of this year. I am working on bigger dreams for 2020." 
    • "It was because of Dream BIG! that I began to pursue my dream. I enrolled and attained my graduate degree which allowed me to get the position to serve as a director in HR." 
    • "My cabin is finished and I have a Dream Big sign hanging in it! I moved my horse and I down to SC when we were sent home in 2020..."
    • "Due to COVID restrictions over the past 8 months we have been able to save enough to pay off the balance of our last loan, which I did yesterday.  I am happy to announce we are now DEBT FREE!  Now to add to my retirement savings!!  My plan to retire mid-2021 is still in place."

  • IUPUI 2019-2020 Cohort

    • "I have purchased a new home and will move in just before Thanksgiving." 
    • "I was offered a position coordinating diversity and inclusion resources within the school’s curriculum. I have more responsibilities and will make more money!!"
    • "It has been very busy for me and sometimes overwhelming. Despite the challenges the pandemic brought, I completed my graduate certificate in Philanthropic Studies and even cleaned my garage. I thought of you as I worked from home and supported my children with at-home learning, and I appreciate all the support and encouragement you gave me along the way. You and Angela are such an asset to IUPUI and the Dream BIG program."

  • IU Northwest 2020-2021 Cohort

    • "For me, joining the Dream Big cohort was particularly special. As an adjunct faculty who is relatively new to The Region and new to IUN, I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to get to know some people from campus (even though no one was actually on campus)."
    • "While each of us in the IU Northwest cohort has most certainly gained confidence and achieved some of our original goals, the connections we made with each other have led to some of the most important outcomes of the program." Healthy IU Journey Story - Linking passion, community, and resilience for well-being

    • "I want to thank you for all your time with me and my colleagues at IUN Dream Big - and to tell you that I was greatly touched by your gestures of encouragement and positive energy."

    • "As a result of the program, I realized that the dreams and goals I was putting my energy towards were no longer important to me, they no longer fed who I was. And I learned to be okay with putting the previous dreams to bed and realized they had a purpose at one-time."
    • "The year 2020 was one of the most difficult years I encountered. When I think of 2020, the people, and the resources that helped me get through that very difficult year, Dream BIG! is among the top 3, hands down. That is something within the program I was not expecting, but I actually needed and it came at the right time. I have grown as a result of the program and I continue to grow as a result of Dream BIG! I am forever and eternally grateful for the program."
    • "The connections I have gained as a result of the program to help my dreams come to fruition have been absolutely amazing."

  • IU South Bend 2020-2021 Cohort

    • "I was a person that was in the middle of, I would say, a very long multi-year burnout with work and life in general and just stagnant, not making any changes. I had no direction. Sort of mildly depressed and just wasn't working towards anything...But that all started to change on October 1st of 2020. That was when I got an e-mail in my inbox among all those emails that I get every day that said somebody who didn't know me was interested in my dreams. And that in and of itself was profoundly life-changing."
    • "I wanted to work with colleagues around the university and the community to create change and lives that are good for all people. I have started to get involved in work and make a lot of new friends and acquaintances around campus. I'm back in leadership roles and mentoring people."
    • "I'm seeing great changes in all areas of my life...What I've really learned through my participation here is my dream to have more social connections. And I've made such progress on this. My kids used to make fun of me all the time because my cell phone never went off with text messages or phone calls. Now, it's going off all the time and that surprises them. It makes me happy because I have social connections now. I owe that 100% to this program."

  • IU Bloomington 2021-2022 Cohort

    •  "Thank you for coordinating the Dream BIG! program!! I have worked with my coach for the past six months and she has been absolutely wonderful. She is absolutely phenomenal – she is a great listener, a warm spirit, and a born motivator…Career exploration and mobility was one of my goals – and we are happy to report that I achieved it!!"
    • "The other Dreamers amazed me in their willingness to be vulnerable with a group of people who are fellow employees. I have always thought of work as a place where you cannot be vulnerable and the Dreamers have helped me realize how important it is to be vulnerable. Their courage has been amazing."
    • "My dream has been clear to me for several years now, but fellow Dreamers helped me to see that I can reach those dreams and to not give up."

    • "The program made me believe in myself again, to seek another job and get a pay raise."

    • "It is great to hear how others are moving forward with concrete steps toward achieving their goals/dreams. It is also encouraging to hear what others have discovered about themselves in the process."
    • "Working with my coach has been wonderful. It has been great to be able to share and feel there is no judgement and that I have someone on my side that is cheering me on to be the best I can be for myself, my family, and IU."
    • "The program is great and I wish many of my colleagues on campus will have the opportunity to experience it in one form or another. On a personal level, I love working with my coach and am so grateful to her because I would never have been able to achieve so many of my goals in just a few months while staying disciplined on my journey."
    • "I love it! I think it's a great resource and I'm glad that the coaches are so giving of their time to help others."
    • "My coach is awesome! I have never felt judged and have always felt supported. I feel like my coach knows me super well and is very kind and thoughtful in her approach with me. Much appreciated!!"