“I would highly recommend becoming a facilitator… it was such a rewarding experience. I would happily do it again and recommend it to anyone. It was truly a great opportunity to be part of.
My name is Lyndsey Lumpkin, and I’m the Senior Director of Demand Generation at HST Pathways.
When I first heard about Next Girl Up, I just thought it sounded so cool. I’ve been in marketing for a long time now, but when I graduated high school and started college, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I took aptitude tests, tried different classes, and really struggled to figure it out. It wasn’t until I was already a couple of years into my career that I started leaning toward marketing. Seeing a program that exposes girls to these kinds of career paths at a much younger age was really exciting to me.
What surprised me most about facilitating was how much I learned from them. It can actually be a little intimidating standing in front of a group of brilliant young minds. Every time we met, I walked away having learned something — whether it was cultural trends, new ways of thinking, or even fresh perspectives on marketing. It was incredibly rewarding.
One moment that really stuck with me was during their final group project when they were building their business plans. I remember coaching them through identifying their product, figuring out their business model, and thinking through how they would market it. They developed a jewelry line that wouldn’t tarnish in water. It was such a cool idea, and they were so proud of it. I actually think about it often now because I see commercials for jewelry brands that advertise that exact feature. It makes me smile: those girls were onto something.
The Next Girl Up team made the experience very manageable. They provided strong guidance on the materials and a lot of support as I worked to put my own voice into the lessons. I work in a corporate role day-to-day, so adjusting my communication style for a younger audience required me to put on a different hat. The team was incredibly helpful in coaching me on how to adapt my skills and knowledge in a way that would resonate with the students. They were great to work with.
I would highly recommend becoming a facilitator. If you’re considering it, give it a shot. It was such a rewarding experience. I would happily do it again and recommend it to anyone. It was truly a great opportunity to be part of.