Fremd alumna Holly Reichard delivers spring awards ceremony keynote at NIU
The power of a determined, resilient mindset — eager to learn from failure — is an indispensable key to success in any endeavor.
That was Holly Reichard’s central message in her keynote address at the Northern Illinois University College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) Scholarship, Staff, Faculty and Student Awards ceremony on May 3.
A 2012 NIU graduate who earned her degree in mechanical engineering, Reichard will be inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame later this year. Her collegiate success followed a standout career at Fremd High School, where she won two individual state titles for the Vikings and graduated in 2007.
As a Huskie, the Palatine native won two Mid-American Conference individual event championships, had three NCAA Regional appearances and was the 2009 MAC Gymnast of the Year.
In her keynote at the NIU Convocation Center in DeKalb, Reichard noted the song that became her competition pump-up song when she was 12 years old: Aerosmith’s “Dream On.” It includes a lyric that is “so true and motivational,” Reichard said — “You’ve got to lose to know how to win.”
Failure can be your friend, in other words, if you channel it into a learning experience. The biggest battlefield is in the mind; Reichard shared a “breakthrough moment” during her Huskie career when, before a meet, she was giving herself a pep talk — but it wasn’t quite clicking.
“It felt like I was trying to convince myself to feel a certain way … why was I trying to convince myself to do something that I know that I can do?” she recalled. Reichard revised her self-talk verbiage to the point that “there was no doubt in my mind” that she’d succeed.
“It dawned on me how powerful your mindset and your attitude is … being able to shift your mindset from one literally to another has helped me in so many ways in approaching any obstacle that I’ve faced,” she shared.
For the past six years, Reichard has been employed by Northrop Grumman, where her current role is logistics program manager. In this capacity, she is involved in a variety of high-profile, confidential government programs.
Previously, she worked for Illinois Tool Works, starting as an intern for her final two years at NIU and eventually becoming a full-time engineering project manager.
Reichard, who earned a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification in 2017, credits her time at NIU for preparing her well in her career.
“It feels like just yesterday I was here giving my own senior design presentation,” she said. “It’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 years.”
In comments introducing Reichard, CEET Dean David Grewell noted her athletic, academic and professional accomplishments. In addition, he cited her one-month study abroad experience as an undergraduate in China — a culture with a foreign language, unfamiliar foods and other elements beyond a typical American’s comfort zone.
“Kudos for her bravery on a number of different occasions,” Grewell said.
The keynote was followed by an awards recognition that honored NIU faculty, students, staff and alumni. To learn more about the NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, visit niu.edu/ceet.