KIMBERLY GOODWIN

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Family: Mike (husband); Dylan (14); Ashton (10); Kendall (8)

Degrees Received: Associate of Arts, Carl Sandburg College; Bachelor of General Studies with a focus in Business and Computer Science, Western Illinois University; MBA with a concentration in Supply Management, Western Illinois University

Awards: Sigma Iota Epsilon; Robert F. Evers ISM Quad Cities Graduate Scholarship

Current Employer: John Deere Davenport Works; Supervisor-Special Investigators

Community Organizations: WIO (Women in Operations); Neil Armstrong PTO/room parent

 

Kimberly’s experience at Sandburg allowed her the freedom to learn while figuring out her career path:

Sandburg was extremely helpful in making me realize I did not need to make a decision on what I wanted to do for the rest of my life the exact moment I graduated high school.  It was a supportive transition for me to move from high school to the adult world, get through my general education requirements, and find out what options were out there.  If not for Sandburg, I might have started at a school I was not excited about with an uncertain major.  Thanks to Sandburg I was really able to explore what fit me best, who I was after high school, and continue to move in a positive direction.

 

Kim shares her favorite memories of life on campus:

The people I met and the friends that I made.  Right after starting classes I quickly made friends that were in a lot of similar situations and mindsets.  We would go out to breakfast every Monday to somewhere different before Chemistry class.  I also met my best friend there and several years later married her brother, my husband Mike.

 

Kimberly aspires to stay connected to Sandburg to assist current and future students:

I currently am not tied to Sandburg through any structured organizations.  I would love to get involved and work with students to show the many doors that Sandburg can open and the opportunities that it can help create.

 

Kim describes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has affected her family as well as work-life:

We have three kids so the pandemic canceled school, sports, theater, and art classes.  We have transitioned to homeschooling and creating ways to keep busy and spending extra time together outside and active. At work, I lead a team and it is about making people feel safe and valued during this time.  It is about letting people at home and at our jobs know that they are appreciated and their efforts make a difference. My husband owns an MMA Event business and the pandemic has pushed the date out of his largest show. My previous school, job, and life experiences have taught me to be flexible and fluid. We can't focus on the negative that happens to us but rather how to fix it, adjust, and move forward. We create our own situations and heavily impact our destinations. This has been a lot of uncertainty but with a business, John Deere, and the kids' schedules we know to take a deep breath and handle each moment as it comes while keeping in mind that it could change again.