Profile: Dawn Gabriele
UT Martin, B.S., Business Administration, 1990
Recently, we sat down with Dawn Gabriele, a native of Fulton, Ky.; she received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UT Martin in 1990 and holds a master’s degree in organizational management from Tusculum College.
Gabriele joined Mirixa Corporation, a privately owned health information and pharmacy-based company, in May 2009, following a 16-year career at Pfizer pharmaceuticals. She is vice president, health plans and employer services. Dawn currently lives in Tampa, Fla., with her husband and is a member of the Junior League of Tampa, and the UT Alliance of Women Philanthropists. In addition, she serves on the Board of Trustees for Phi Chi Theta. She was the 2009 recipient of the UT Martin Outstanding Young Alumni Award, given in recognition of outstanding achievement in his/her chosen profession.
Tell us a little bit about yourself—why you chose UT Martin; how you ended up where you are now.
As a junior in high school, I attended a business summer camp at UT Martin that became one of the biggest tipping points of my life. The program provided an innovative learning environment with real life business experiences such as simulated business models. I learned so much from the experience; it is the reason I ended up in business. The camp proved to be a good recruiting tool for UT Martin. Dr. Gary Young, one of the instructors, kept in touch with the business camp students. I enjoyed the experience, along with the beautiful campus, so much that I decided to attend UT Martin. My mom currently works on campus and is a graduate as well.
In your own words, tell us a little about the Aspiring Women Scholarship. Describe the program and its impact?
After graduating from college, I realized there is a gap in terms of what I learned in college and the real work world. That’s really the genesis of the scholarship. Additionally, it is to create a network of women who are aspiring to do something with their lives. Also, decisions about personal career goals, financial management and interviewing skills along with other issues graduates will face for the first time entering the job market can be very daunting. The goal of the scholarship is to assist the UT Martin graduates through mentorships and networking with other professional women as they get established in their fields and advance in their careers.
Why did you choose to establish this endowment? Describe your thought and decision making process.
At the time I was a single career woman, and worked my way up to the corporate ladder to land a marketing position with Pfizer in New York City. You get to that point in your career where you feel like you’ve finally made it, but it wasn’t what I expected, I felt empty. My mom has been my mentor throughout my life. When I told her how I felt, we sat down at the kitchen table to brainstorm ways I could give back and add meaning to the work I had done throughout my career. Together we came up with the Aspiring Women Scholarship, establishing the vision and mission of the program over the course of the conversation.
Overall, how satisfied have you been with the university’s management of the program/endowment? Has the gift been stewarded well?
UT Martin has been very supportive of the program. Dr. Nell Gullet, Accounting, Finance, Economics and Political Science Professor and Charley Deal, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Alumni Relations, are very active in assisting with the scholarship awards. We put the candidates through a rigorous application process to ensure we are getting quality candidates. UTM is a small, close-knit campus so the staff and faculty have useful insight into the career goals of students. Three award recipients are selected each academic year. Over 18 scholarships have been awarded to date.
Why do you think it is important to support your alma mater?
Supporting my alma mater is a good way to stay connected with alumni. There is also the feel good component of giving back. I believe it is important to pay it forward. I am able to accomplish this by providing financial assistance. My mom works on campus, and she is able to keep up with some of the scholarship recipients. Recently, I learned that one of the students will attend the UT College of Law, and another student is planning a career in Accounting. When talking with the scholarship students I encourage them to find a way to pay it forward and to “Dream, do, dare, and most importantly, aspire.”
What is your fondest memory related to UT Martin?
I have many good memories of my time at UT Martin. One of my fondest memories is attending the business camp. On a humorous note, my mom went back to school, later in life, so I was able to get her advice on the best classes and professors.