On a personal level, getting to know faculty and staff is not something that everyone has the chance to do. Luckily, the Women’s Commission has created an event to highlight women in leadership positions across Grand Valley State University’s campuses to share their personal stories.

HerStory, a series which began in 2002, features female faculty or staff members who tell stories of what it’s like being in a leadership position, and how those experiences have led to their success.

“The Women’s Commission found that there were women across campus with great stories,” said Keri Becker, a member of the Women’s Commission. “Whether it was the path to where they’re at now, moving up the ladder to leadership or working through adversity.”

This month, there will be a HerStory event on Oct. 30 at noon in the Kirkhof Center. The speaker is Maggie McCrystal, the director of staff relations for Human Resources.

Originally from Sandusky, Ohio, McCrystal moved to Michigan almost 30 years ago to get her master’s degree from Central Michigan University. Her first postgraduate job was in Muskegon, but McCrystal had always wanted to live in a bigger city, namely Grand Rapids. She worked in human resources for the city of Grand Rapids until she began working at GVSU, where she made the transition 12 years ago.

“Grand Valley is a phenomenal place to work,” McCrystal said. “Everyone seems to be singularly focused on the students. If there are things that we can do to help students become better educated, better members of their community, we all want to do it.”

When she speaks, McCrystal wants people to take away that everyone is a leader, no matter what strengths or weaknesses a person may have.

McCrystal will be speaking in Kirkhof Center Room 2204 on Oct. 30 at 12 p.m. For more information about HerStory and a calendar of future events, visit gvsu.edu/wcommission.

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