GVSU Education Programs News
Dr. Catherine Meyer-Looze Finds Her Voice Through Speak with Courage
July 29, 2026
For Dr. Catherine L. Meyer-Looze, professor and unit head of Educational Leadership and Counseling department, leadership has always been about helping others find their potential. This spring, she embraced an opportunity to strengthen her own voice through Speak with Courage, https://traverseconnect.com/get-involved/programs/speak-with-courage/ an immersive public speaking program designed to help women leaders communicate with confidence, authenticity and purpose.
The hands-on program, led by TEDx Chicago coach and actress Dana Black, brought together 11 women from the Grand Traverse community for a series of in-person sessions held every other week from April through June. Participants developed skills in storytelling, stage presence and authentic communication while discovering the power of sharing meaningful personal experiences.
The program culminated in a public showcase at the City Opera House in Traverse City on June 30, where each participant delivered a six- to eight-minute speech before a live audience.
For Meyer-Looze, the experience was about much more than becoming a stronger public speaker.
"I enrolled in Speak with Courage because I wanted to become more confident sharing personal stories in a way that could inspire leadership and life lessons for others," she said.
The story she chose to share explored the impact of generational experiences and the choices people have in shaping their futures.
"We all inherit generational memories and experiences," Meyer-Looze said. "Some are joyful traditions and examples of love and resilience that we gladly carry forward. Other experiences might be patterns of hurt, abuse, silence or trauma that have been passed from one generation to the next."
Her message centered on hope and personal agency.
"While we cannot choose the stories we inherit, we can choose the stories we continue," she said. "We each have the opportunity and the responsibility to break cycles that no longer serve us and to create a healthier legacy for those who follow."
One of the most meaningful aspects of the program, Meyer-Looze said, was the sense of community that developed among the participants. As they practiced their speeches, they also shared their fears, hopes and vulnerabilities, creating an environment built on trust and encouragement.
"The relationships that developed among the eleven participants were incredibly meaningful," she said. "The trust we built created a supportive community that encouraged each of us to step outside our comfort zones."
Even the music reflected her message. Meyer-Looze selected "Bloodline" by Alex Warren and Jelly Roll as her walk-up song, explaining that its message aligned with the heart of her speech: while our family history may shape where we come from, it does not have to determine where we are going.
Looking back, Meyer-Looze said the experience transformed more than her public speaking skills.
"Speak with Courage gave me more than public speaking skills," she said. "It gave me the confidence to tell the story I carried for years and the courage to believe that by sharing it, someone else might find hope, healing or the strength to tell their own story."
As an educator and leader dedicated to preparing future professionals, Meyer-Looze's experience reflects the power of authentic leadership, one that recognizes that some of the most meaningful lessons begin with the courage to share our own stories.