Alverno College, for over 135 years, has strived to educate and empower women to realize their leadership, strength of voice and potential to lead in the working world. Alverno’s support of “The Future is Female” continues to showcase and exemplify these efforts by supporting the stories of grit, resilience and strength of character of present, past and future leading women in the Milwaukee community! #AlvernoStrong

Gabrielle Hood plays two very different professional roles, both of which she says Alverno College prepared her for.

“I am the owner of Clear Technology Solutions of Wisconsin and I am also a police officer for the City of Racine,” says Hood, who graduated from Alverno in 2017 with a degree in integrated studies / adult education.

OnMilwaukee recently had the chance to ask Hood eight questions based on the "8 Abilities" that all students achieve with an Alverno degree: Communication, Analysis, Problem Solving, Valuing in Decision-Making, Social Interaction, Developing a Global Perspective, Aesthetic Engagement and Effective Citizenship.

“In a male-dominated world Alverno ingrained in each and every one of us that our voice matters,” says Hood.

Here are the 8 questions, based on the 8 abilities:

What does active listening mean to you? Do you consider yourself a good listener, and if so, how has this helped you in your personal and professional relationships?

Active listening to me would be paying close attention to verbal and non-verbal cues as well as understanding to the best of our abilities the message that the speaker is relaying. I do my best to be a good listener, because sometimes all people need is someone to listen. In both of my lines of work, I have had people say, “I just needed to get that off my chest. Thank you for listening.” It’s a small task that costs me nothing except a little time. And without lending a little time to others this world is nothing.

What was the last subject you were curious about and then pursued to learn more?

Speaking Spanish. I see how beneficial it is to be bilingual in a variety of settings. I started Spanish lessons in an app a year ago, and I plan to continue to enhance my abilities.

If you can’t figure something out yourself, what source or person do you turn to first? How long do you wait before you ask for help? As a woman, do you think you wait longer to reach out?

I typically go to the person that is the most knowledgeable about the subject. I’m not big on wasting time, so if I can’t figure it out and Google has failed me, I move on to the “master” of the subject, even if that means reaching out to someone on LinkedIn.

As women I think it is ingrained in us to be passive. Alverno created a safe environment for us all to express ourselves without fear. Fear of rejection and critique is a huge reason people don’t express themselves. In a male-dominated world Alverno ingrained in each and every one of us that our voice matters. We as women can speak up with the eloquent voice we have and truly make a difference, because we have SO much that we bring to the table.

What are your personal values? Who and/or what inspired them and how do these values affect your decision-making process?

I would say generosity, personal-growth and family. There are so many ways to be generous, but they are all centered around considering the benefits and embracing gratitude. Most people believe generosity comes from money. You can be generous without money by simply being kind to those in need. Personal growth is how I have always chosen to live my life. I always have some goals in mind that I am working towards. I am continuously trying to make my life better for my family, myself and so that I can serve others. Last, but certainly not least, is family. Family can be blood family or friends who became family over time. Nonetheless, we need support systems in all of our stages of life. This is a value that grew for me in a huge way when I attended Alverno. I have a great family, but I was surrounded by a number of people who didn’t have the same support. Those people found their support within friends, faculty and staff. Alverno gives people love, hope and confidence when they need it most.

Technology and on-line communication/meetings/social has definitely changed over the years. Do these things help or hinder your growth – or both?

I think that technology, like most things, has been advantageous as well as a hindrance. It’s awesome for us be able to meet with folks around the world via social platforms. I think that social media has allowed us to be efficient, but you cannot take away from the importance of social interaction. You can’t beat in-person conversations and the energy involved especially in passionate topics. However, technology is just the way of the future and it’s going to continue to advance, so in my opinion we need to find the balance.

Where is the furthest you’ve traveled and what is a thing or two you learned from the experience? And what surprised you?

The furthest I have traveled is Jamaica. A thing I learned in Jamaica is how much we take for granted here in America. Jamaica is a beautiful place, but they work very long days for little-to-no money. While we all stay in fancy resorts the staff lives in buildings that are crumbling. However, all the staff that I conversed with was just thankful to be employed. In my opinion that was a lesson on life is what you make it.

What are your favorite art forms? How do you challenge yourself to actively engage in the arts?

My favorite art form is architecture. Having worked in the construction industry I have had the opportunity to be in thousands of buildings, all uniquely built. I am the most interested in custom homes and historical homes from pre-1900s. At this time I don’t get to engage in the arts as much as I would like; however, I will take a moment to take in the beauty of a unique home.

How do you/your work move Milwaukee forward?

Though I currently serve in the Greater Milwaukee area in all the work that I do, I focus on the underrepresented and how we as a society can help propel forward. The easiest way I do this is by having an open mind and open heart with every person I interact with. I truly believe that one positive interaction with someone who is struggling could be the difference they need in their life. I also choose to volunteer. I was fortunate enough to attend Alverno where I was able to build a network for myself of people with views that aligned with mine. I am surrounded by great people who are always looking to serve others. We don’t all have the same skill set, but when we come together we are stronger.