Lauren Buckley: A Community-Focused Creator at Heart

Alumni of Notable Achievement recipient Lauren Buckley (BA ‘05, journalism and sociology of law, criminology & deviance), a “lifelong learner and creator at heart," exemplifies the power of a liberal arts education through her work in community-focused innovation and organizational leadership. As co-founder of The Hush Collaborative, founding member of The Coven, and strategic advisor at The Movida Initiative, she creates spaces and facilitates conversations about the workforce that center people and community because that is the future of work. 

What brought you to the University of Minnesota and how did you end up studying what you did?

I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, where everyone knows everyone. My graduating class was less than 200 people. It was an incredible place to grow up because I was given opportunities to explore many of my childhood interests. But as I got older, I knew I wanted to experience something different—a place to explore more sides of myself and experience what it was like to be a small fish in a much bigger pond. 

After touring the University of Minnesota, the only Big 10 school in the middle of a Metro, I just knew. From the grandeur of Northrop Mall to the walking bridges over the Mississippi River, it felt like what I wanted college to feel like. It also has a highly reputable sociology program, which is what I wanted to study. I wanted to be an FBI Profiler like Clarice from Silence of the Lambs. Still, I double majored in sociology, law, criminal deviance, and strategic mass communications through the Hubbard School of Journalism, which is the direction my career has taken me.

What do you do now? What energizes you about it?

I am a relational leader who uses storytelling, strategy, and leadership development to agitate change and create impact. I most recently applied these skills as an entrepreneur. I co-founded a strategic consultancy in the Twin Cities that takes a people-first approach to workplace transformation. 

I also work with other entrepreneurs to bring their visions to life with a current focus on organizing, community-building, and civic education. Working with leaders and teams who wholeheartedly believe we can do things differently is incredibly humbling and exciting work. I learn something new with every project and relationship, which always gets me out of bed in the morning. 

Reflect on one of the defining experiences from your time as a CLA student. What impact does it have on your life today?

Service-learning was an optional part of the University's sociology programming. For two semesters, I took advantage of the opportunities to work in real-world environments for credit and "try on" the profession I thought I wanted. 

I was a junior when I was placed at the Juvenile Detention Center in downtown Minneapolis. I was in charge of the educational and emotional programming for the teen groups. It was an eye-opening and challenging experience that helped guide my future career path and activism work. I experienced firsthand the effects of systemic racism, misogyny, and harmful practices of unchecked power. I learned firsthand why we can't dismantle the house using the masters' tools.

I understood more about my capacity and leadership in those semesters, which fundamentally changed my trajectory at the University. I ended up with a career in the mass communications field, but I apply the lessons of my time in the carceral system to how I build and work to change organizations today. 

What are some ways your liberal arts education provided a foundation for what you do now?

As a strategist, curiosity, a skill I learned to harness at CLA, is fundamental to my success. It drives me to explore and understand diverse areas, industries, communities, and cultures where I am an outsider. It requires I enquire and listen in deeper ways. Discovery is part of the job and enables me to capture stories, deliver insights and craft meaningful solutions in diverse environments. It has made me a better person, connector, and entrepreneur. 

As a multi-passionate woman who lives in a culture where expertise and specialization are highly regarded, my liberal arts education gave me the tools I needed to remain true to myself and grow as a mother, leader and team member. 

If you could go back to your time in college, what advice would you give to yourself at that age?

Act on your curiosity as much as humanly possible. If you weren't a theater kid in high school but had the itch, try it. If a class of interest was outside your major track, audit it. If you want a spiritual home your hometown couldn't offer, find it. If you have a question, ask it. If you need help, request it. If you want to learn more, do it. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would let my inner child, my fame-seeker, my aspiring novelist, my dreamer, look around and really examine all the opportunities. I would have experimented more with myself and expanded my identity.

This story was edited by Sally Adams, an undergraduate student in CLA.