“Success is in part about durability and sustainability,” according to the Co-founder and Director of the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI), Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, M.B.A., Ph.D. Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth added that, “Even a modest effort that is able to build a sustained track record can eventually achieve meaningful impact.” As a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University, Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth shared her thoughts as part of her recent recognition in the Celebrate Purdue Women initiative from the Susan Bulkeley Center for Leadership Excellence.
When asked for her definition of success, Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth says it has evolved over time.
What I have learned is that everything that looks like a notable success today started as a very modest effort that at the beginning felt ragged, sometimes rushed, and definitely uncertain in terms of its prospects. I’ve come to feel that I should commit for at least 3 years to any initiative I start to give it a good try before I decide whether it truly has potential to become a success.
We here at MFRI are certainly grateful to Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth for her 24 years of working at the Institute in the service to communities and professionals who serve military and veteran families. Her commitment has impacted the lives of thousands of service members, National Guard and Reserve members, veterans and their families.