A First-Generation Professional Profile: Dawn Shaw

In this insightful conversation, Dawn Shaw, a First-Generation Professional (FGP), shares her personal and professional journey, highlighting the key experiences that shaped her career. From her early years growing up in a middle-class family in Colorado to her transition from higher education into the corporate world at Oracle, Shaw candidly discusses the challenges of navigating unfamiliar career paths without the benefit of generational guidance. She reflects on the power of persistence, the importance of intrinsic motivation, and the lessons she’s learned along the way, offering a unique perspective on the value FGPs bring to the workplace.

Michelle Hoover: Could you start by sharing either an interesting fact about yourself or a quote, philosophy, or vision that gives us insight into who you are and what matters to you?

Dawn Shaw: I’ll go with a quote since I’m a big fan of them. I’ve even created what I call my “wall of inspiration,” where I display about forty quotes that motivate me daily. Today, one of my favorites is: “When you lose, don’t lose the lesson,” from the Dalai Lama. Another one I like is, “Quality is not an act; it’s a habit.” That idea took me a while to grasp—along with the realization that persistence and determination are more important for success than getting it right on the first try.

Another quote I reflect on is, “Everything’s hard before it’s easy.” For some reason, I used to think that life was supposed to be easy from the start. Now I know that success is about habits and persistence. This mindset has deeply impacted how I approach life and how I guide my children, reminding them to be mindful of the stories they tell themselves because our thoughts shape our actions and ultimately our destiny.

Hoover: Thank you! You identify as a First-Generation Professional. Do you remember when you first heard that term, and how did it resonate with you?

Shaw: The concept of being a First-Generation Professional is relatively new to me. Initially, I associated “first generation” with education—being the first in my family to graduate from college. I hadn’t thought about it in terms of my career until later. Now, as I’ve progressed professionally, I realize how much of an impact it has. Families with a legacy of education and professionalism pass down certain advantages. For me, entering the professional world was a first-time experience, without a road map. This reminds me of the reading gap in education—how early gaps in literacy can shape someone’s entire future. Similarly, First-Generation Professionals often start at a different place, without the experience or support that others might take for granted.

Looking back, I was simply excited to have any opportunity. I didn’t have high expectations, which in some ways was a blessing because I wasn’t under pressure to “become someone.” Education opened doors for me, and I took full advantage of that. However, I now realize that I started later than others. If I’d had access to the resources some people did early on, my career might have progressed differently.

Hoover: Take us back to the beginning—where did you grow up, and what was life like for you before you entered the professional world?

Shaw: I grew up in a small town in Colorado. We were a typical middle-class family—never without, but always mindful of expenses. My mom worked throughout my childhood. I was what they called a “latchkey kid,” and when I was younger I spent long days at babysitters due to my mom’s hour-long commute. Work was always a part of life, but it was never framed as a career, just a way to make ends meet. My dad worked nights, so time was always scarce.

Education was my escape. It wasn’t something anyone monitored closely, which gave me freedom to explore. I valued learning for its own sake, not as a means to a career. College wasn’t about becoming a professional but rather an extension of that love for learning. I took six years to finish college, struggling initially because I lacked basic study skills. But once I found my footing, I stuck with it and eventually pursued a career in higher education. My first job as an academic advisor felt like a huge achievement—I was making $28,500 a year and felt like I had “made it.”

After about ten years in higher ed, curiosity led me to seek out new challenges in the corporate world. I realized that higher education, as fulfilling as it was, didn’t provide the same professional growth as the private sector. Transitioning to a corporate setting doubled my salary and opened my eyes to new possibilities.

Hoover: You now work in leadership development at Oracle, a massive corporation founded by one of the wealthiest people on the planet, Larry Ellison. As a First-Generation Professional, what has that experience been like?

Shaw: Oracle is like its own world—it's enormous, with over 140,000 employees. The scope of the company’s impact on other businesses is fascinating, and being part of that is exciting. It’s not always glamorous, but the influence large corporations have on global markets is undeniable.

Larry Ellison’s own journey is inspiring; he overcame significant challenges to get to where he is today. There’s a scrappiness in Oracle’s culture that resonates with me, especially as a first-gen professional. Like many of us, I’ve had to make up for what I didn’t know quickly and without showing any gaps.

When I look at my career compared to others who started in corporate settings right out of college, there’s a noticeable difference. Many of my peers at Oracle have been working in the industry since their twenties and are now in senior leadership roles. I got here when I was forty-three, so it’s impossible to make up for those lost years, even though I’m grateful for the opportunities I have now.

Hoover: Boston Consulting Group ¹ recently reported that First-Generation Professionals are more likely to be loyal, intrinsically motivated, and pursue management positions later in their careers. How does that data align with your experience as someone working in talent and leadership development?

Shaw: That resonates with me. First-Generation Professionals often develop intrinsic motivation early on because they know they have to work for what they want—it’s never just handed to them. I’ve noticed that while others may feel entitled to success, those of us who are first-gen often bring a different level of drive. We don’t expect anything to be easy, so we’re willing to push harder to achieve our goals.

In terms of leadership, I think first-gen professionals are better at motivating others because we’ve had to motivate ourselves from the start. We often bring skills like empathy and resilience into leadership roles, which can positively impact team productivity and, ultimately, a company’s bottom line.

Hoover: It seems that your transition from higher ed into the corporate world was a significant turning point in your career. How did you navigate that shift?

Shaw: The shift from higher education to corporate was definitely influenced by my time at Duke. Brand recognition, as much as we don’t like to admit it, plays a huge role in career progression. Duke’s reputation opened doors for me that might not have been available otherwise. But it wasn’t just the brand—it was also about persistence. I applied to countless positions and faced many rejections before landing a job in corporate education. It’s easy to look at my LinkedIn profile and think the path was smooth, but there were a lot of challenges along the way.

Hoover: What do you think companies need to understand about First-Generation Professionals to fully appreciate their potential?

Shaw: Companies need to recognize that first-gen professionals aren’t a “special group” to be othered. They are capable individuals who bring valuable skills and perspectives. If businesses focus on the person’s competencies rather than their background, they’ll find that first-gen professionals often rise to the top. They are hardworking, motivated, and have had to overcome more obstacles to get where they are. If companies evaluated talent based on skills and abilities rather than where someone went to school or their family background, they would see a lot more first-gen professionals in leadership roles.

1. "Hiding in Plain Sight: First-Generation Professionals," BCG.
https://web-assets.bcg.com/49/9c/184a60f14ed9b17f8fabfd7c9d6c/hiding-in-plain-sight-first-generation-professionals-bcg-study.pdf