April 4, 2019: On Sunday afternoon, Harpswell students attended a leadership seminar led by Lynette Franco, Cultural Affairs Officer at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh.Responsible for managing over 40 scholarship and exchange programs, Lynette shared how she began her academic and professional career as a first-generation college student. After graduating college, she moved to Spain to teach English as a Fulbright Scholar and later earned her master’s degree in public policy. Drawing upon her personal experiences, Lynette encouraged students to work hard and persevere when pursuing their dreams.

During the second half of the seminar Lynette and the students watched a TedTalk video, “Sorry to Bother You, But Do you Say Sorry Too Much?” about the tendency of women to over-apologize. Afterwards, students discussed the negative repercussions of saying sorry too frequently and brainstormed better ways to react to situations with Lynette.