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Myers ('93) Honors Teammates in World Marathon Challenge
When she decided to take on the World Marathon Challenge, Rosary graduate Brandi Myers ('93) wanted to honor people important to her on each leg of the journey. She chose to honor two Rosary volleyball teammates in the Asia marathon.
The World Marathon Challenge is a physical challenge to run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. Competitors must run the standard 42.2 km marathon distance in Antarctica, Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, South America, and North America within 168 hours.
Brandi competed in the challenge in February 2023. In the Asia marathon in Dubai, Brandi chose to honor two Rosary friends impacted by cancer: Paula Weistroffer (‘92) and Kate (Glenney '92) Watts from her Rosary volleyball team. Both died in 2019.
Brandi had ribbons made with Paula and Kate’s names. She also carried a few Rosary items with her, including a hair tie and a Dominican Blessing prayer card.
Brandi’s favorite Rosary memories have always been the time with the volleyball team, she said. “Suffering through hell weeks together with Krantz and Fitz, traveling and studying together, taking on Sr. Francene to wear bun hugger shorts (haha); just overall supporting each other.”
“I think this was why I wanted to take my Rosary teammates with me on this World Marathon Challenge journey,” she said. “We saw each other at our best and our worst and were part of something bigger than ourselves. It is so hard to see those we have grown up with face such adversity and my heart breaks for their families. Paula and Kate were always the kindest, and most humble members of the team, the best cheerleaders and the ones who were never without a smile. Both of their sisters (Lisa and Maggie) were so generous in allowing me to run with them and sent the kindest notes afterwards.”
In addition to playing volleyball at Rosary, Brandi played softball, was on stage crew for Rosary and Marmion plays, was a member of National Honor Society, and was an Illinois State Scholar. She was also in French Club, Mu Alpha Theta (Math), People For Helping (PFH), JETS, and SADD. She taught CCD (religious education) at Annunciation Church.
After graduating from Rosary in 1993, Brandi earned her BA in Political Science from Northwestern and her MBA in Finance and Human Resources from North Central College. She currently works as a Senior ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) Project Manager. “In this role I look at potential opportunities and pitfalls across the organization that could keep us from meeting our mission and objectives and help develop strategies to prevent or maximize them,” she said.
“Every day is different,” she said. “I am consistently meeting new people as well as learning about new areas and initiatives and how each of them impacts the organization. I help coordinate across business areas and, hopefully, break down silos between functions to move the organization’s initiatives forward.”
Current Rosary students interested in a career in Risk Management should “always have a learning mindset and be humble in learning about new functions,” Brandi said. “In my organization, in addition to my core role, I have also taken on rotations in several different functional areas to partner and learn about the organization. If you are always learning and feel comfortable in the uncertainty you can open many doors you didn’t know existed.”
Brandi’s Rosary experience helped her achieve her goals in several ways. “After going through Rosary, I knew going into Northwestern what a challenging academic environment could be like. I knew how to organize what I had to do, what I wanted to do and what could be deferred until later,” she said.
“While my fashion style may have taken some time to develop after 16 years of uniforms, the ability to focus on my goals while still enjoying life and activities has helped me balance life,” she continued. “From college through my early work life, to balancing masters studies with full time work, or full time work with this athletic training and a part time job, the ability to find balance and support has carried me through many challenges, obstacles and helped identify opportunities along the way.”
Brandi’s advice to current and future Rosary students: “Don’t wait!! So often, much of our lives is spent saying ‘I’ll do X when X happens’ or ‘I get to be X years old.” Life doesn’t guarantee anything. You need to identify what you want and set a plan up to get there. Like many, I missed time waiting for the perfect moment. It is only when you jump in feet first (after checking your surroundings) that you can feel fully free and embrace your full, authentic self.”
Brandi is the daughter of Dale and Jodi Myers of Sugar Grove. Her brother Jeff is a graduate of Marmion Military Academy. Brandi now resides in Florida.
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Brandi competed in the challenge in February 2023. In the Asia marathon in Dubai, Brandi chose to honor two Rosary friends impacted by cancer: Paula Weistroffer (‘92) and Kate (Glenney '92) Watts from her Rosary volleyball team. Both died in 2019.
Brandi had ribbons made with Paula and Kate’s names. She also carried a few Rosary items with her, including a hair tie and a Dominican Blessing prayer card.
Brandi’s favorite Rosary memories have always been the time with the volleyball team, she said. “Suffering through hell weeks together with Krantz and Fitz, traveling and studying together, taking on Sr. Francene to wear bun hugger shorts (haha); just overall supporting each other.”
“I think this was why I wanted to take my Rosary teammates with me on this World Marathon Challenge journey,” she said. “We saw each other at our best and our worst and were part of something bigger than ourselves. It is so hard to see those we have grown up with face such adversity and my heart breaks for their families. Paula and Kate were always the kindest, and most humble members of the team, the best cheerleaders and the ones who were never without a smile. Both of their sisters (Lisa and Maggie) were so generous in allowing me to run with them and sent the kindest notes afterwards.”
In addition to playing volleyball at Rosary, Brandi played softball, was on stage crew for Rosary and Marmion plays, was a member of National Honor Society, and was an Illinois State Scholar. She was also in French Club, Mu Alpha Theta (Math), People For Helping (PFH), JETS, and SADD. She taught CCD (religious education) at Annunciation Church.
After graduating from Rosary in 1993, Brandi earned her BA in Political Science from Northwestern and her MBA in Finance and Human Resources from North Central College. She currently works as a Senior ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) Project Manager. “In this role I look at potential opportunities and pitfalls across the organization that could keep us from meeting our mission and objectives and help develop strategies to prevent or maximize them,” she said.
“Every day is different,” she said. “I am consistently meeting new people as well as learning about new areas and initiatives and how each of them impacts the organization. I help coordinate across business areas and, hopefully, break down silos between functions to move the organization’s initiatives forward.”
Current Rosary students interested in a career in Risk Management should “always have a learning mindset and be humble in learning about new functions,” Brandi said. “In my organization, in addition to my core role, I have also taken on rotations in several different functional areas to partner and learn about the organization. If you are always learning and feel comfortable in the uncertainty you can open many doors you didn’t know existed.”
Brandi’s Rosary experience helped her achieve her goals in several ways. “After going through Rosary, I knew going into Northwestern what a challenging academic environment could be like. I knew how to organize what I had to do, what I wanted to do and what could be deferred until later,” she said.
“While my fashion style may have taken some time to develop after 16 years of uniforms, the ability to focus on my goals while still enjoying life and activities has helped me balance life,” she continued. “From college through my early work life, to balancing masters studies with full time work, or full time work with this athletic training and a part time job, the ability to find balance and support has carried me through many challenges, obstacles and helped identify opportunities along the way.”
Brandi’s advice to current and future Rosary students: “Don’t wait!! So often, much of our lives is spent saying ‘I’ll do X when X happens’ or ‘I get to be X years old.” Life doesn’t guarantee anything. You need to identify what you want and set a plan up to get there. Like many, I missed time waiting for the perfect moment. It is only when you jump in feet first (after checking your surroundings) that you can feel fully free and embrace your full, authentic self.”
Brandi is the daughter of Dale and Jodi Myers of Sugar Grove. Her brother Jeff is a graduate of Marmion Military Academy. Brandi now resides in Florida.
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