(Editor's Note: Poets are known for paying attention to each and every line they write. However, some serious literary works, such as Moby Dick, are acclaimed for their unusual and powerful use of language. As such, their opening and closing lines get a fair amount of attention. The novel's closing lines are also significant, primarily because they bring Ishmael's experience full-circle, meaning essentially ending where he began. ~According to study.com~)

I always liked a challenge.

It wouldn't take you long into the conversation to realize that Carolyn Breese can cover a wide array of topics, is a 'world traveler' and someone that can capitalize on her experiences to talk to anyone about anything.

Breese, a Winston-Salem, N.C., native attended R.J. Reynolds High and graduated from Salem in 1988.

"I was attracted to the small women's college concept and had friends that were a year ahead of me in high school who had decided to go to Salem," Breese described. It was Salem that gave Breese the opportunity to discover further about herself because, as she describes it "I just like how Salem empowered women to be successful. They believed in you and it was women empowering women." In 1999, 11 years after graduation and while working in for profit business, Cindy Christopher, President of the Junior League and fellow Salem alumnae, Brooke Burr asked Carolyn, an avid and competitive runner in her own right, to help bring the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to the Twin Cities.

Breese got involved and was a founding board member for the North Carolina Triad Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The following year, on April 15, 2000, the first race was scheduled to take place in in downtown Winston-Salem with participation exceeding 4,000 runners and walkers. One year later, Breese serving as the chairperson for the event and Burr requested that Salem serve as the host venue for the race. That request was granted and Salem hosted for the next 15 years.

She credits former Salem President Julianne Thrift, who served from 1991-2006, as embracing the effort to bring the race to campus and allowing the development of the Race for the Cure from that point forward. The number of participants grew respectively from 4000 to 10,000 over the years and the annual event was held around the first of May around Mother's Day. "It was important for us to have this opportunity to build awareness," said Breese. "We had great student involvement and I don't remember having that opportunity to do that something of that magnitude when I was a student.

"One of the many special things about hosting the race at Salem College was our ability to secure the Rondthaler-Gramley House pro bono as alumnae for out of town guests who were breast cancer survivors," said Breese. This was a true treat for these women who had fought the disease to stay on campus and celebrate their survivorship over the race weekend. During this same time, we started hosting a pre-event pasta party with the junior class lead by student Vice President, Katie Bradberry, as a fundraiser benefitting Susan G. Komen. Over the years, Salem also received national and local media attention from race participants including Hoda Kotb (NBC Today Show co-host), who served as the 10th Anniversary Honorary Chair and Cindy Farmer (FOX8 anchor) and Lora Songster (WMAG 99.5) who served as the annual event Emcees.

"It was nice to have the event at Salem for me as an alumna because they embraced the cause of breast cancer awareness," Breese continued. "The faculty and students formed annual teams and it was a campus-wide event." She even pointed out the importance of Salem College's current Day of Service initiative by saying "it is important for us as individuals, especially women, volunteering and making a difference in the community. There is power, influence and impact in getting involved."

Like most visionaries with a long-term goal, enter the likes of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, Breese had a goal of making the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure grand. "We envisioned significant impact, but we couldn't make that happen without support from Salem College. The leadership completely embraced our efforts. The race grew year after year and we were raising millions of dollars for breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment. "It just made sense that the affiliate was based in Winston-Salem serving 13 counties and that the Salem College campus was the ideal location to educate women and the community at large about the importunate of breast cancer awareness."

Breese accepted a position in public relations and marketing with a for profit company upon graduation from Salem and spent 10 years in the industry before phasing into non-profit work with Susan G. Komen for the Cure. That time special time with Komen that spanned another ten years and with a young family, allowed her the opportunity to reflect on the career pursuits that she truly desired.

"I spent many years working as volunteer on a full-time basis and served in numerous leadership capacities for Susan G. Komen," Breese said reflecting. "I was invited by Komen International and CEO Hala Moddelmog to serve on the perspectives team, which included 13 members chosen from Affiliates throughout the world. Together we served as advisory council to the Senior Executive Team based out of Dallas, Texas where I flew there several times a year, from 2006-08. It was truly an honor and amazing life experience."

Breese's impact was global as she raised awareness for breast cancer for both men and women. Meanwhile, with her kids now in their high school years, she had to return to work outside of her volunteer responsibilities to pursue her professional career. "I was trained through Komen and would fly all over United States for leadership conferences," said Breese. "It was at this time that I joined Trellis Supportive Care (formally, Hospice & Palliative CareCenter) as Director of Development. As she maintained, the local NC Triad Komen Affiliate and the 13 counties served was eventually absorbed by larger North Carolina Affiliates including Raleigh and Charlotte thus ending the 18 -year race site affiliation with Salem. Breese said that one of her fondest memories of the event was when Susan G. Komen's daughter returned to campus in 20 to serve as the Commencement Speaker for graduation which truly brought the collaboration with Komen and Salem College "full circle."

Breese, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History from Salem, speaks of Salem College with tremendous pride when she delivers her message. The quaint, Winston-Salem-based campus lies in her heart as she recollected on one of her most influential people—Inzer Byers, who was both her history teacher and advisor as a student.

"Salem helped mold me into the woman I am today," said Breese who now serves as Vice President of Philanthropy & Community Engagement with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina. "One of our signature fundraisers is Empty Bowls which is one of the ways I stay involved with Salem. I come back come back and speak to the students about another important cause, food insecurity. Actually, food insecurity on college campuses is a real and tragic issue too. An article which appeared in the May 2, 2019 edition of the New York Times found that 45 percent of students who responded to a survey conducted by Temple University's Hope Center for College, Community and Justice, which included 100 schools in the research, were food insecure within the last 30 days. Specifically, at City University of New York 48 percent of the students polled had been food insecure in a 30-day span.

"We want to create the awareness and effect change by action addressing hunger in our communities and hunger on college campuses," said Breese. "We believe that everyone deserves to eat! It is hard to learn and concentrate when there is food insecurity and nutritious food is what fuels our bodies and mind to become effective learners."

Along with being influenced by Salem educators including Thrift and Byers, Breese also was inspired by the life and legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

"RGB had an impact on women regardless of political affiliation," exclaimed Breese. "Everything that she stood for is remarkable. If anyone believed in what women stood for it was her. She crossed political boundaries to inspire and empower all women. My mom is both my best friend and mentor. She and my dad are my primary cheerleaders in life. My mom is 83 and very independent and my parents always made me believe that I could do anything."

I always liked a challenge.