Sinclair360

Diane Graham
Executive Director, Dayton, Ohio, Habitat for Humanity

Sinclair profile
•    Associate of arts degree in General Studies (1983)
•    Former sales manager at Sinclair Community College

Coming full circle

Diane was one of those people who didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up – or how her talents might best serve others. Knowing that she needed a college education to benefit her family and her children, Diane enrolled at Sinclair and immediately felt at home. Many of her classmates weren’t recent high school graduates either, and Diane loved to learn from her professors’ real-world experiences.

Her instructors were industry experts who brought their stories into the classroom, helping Diane to put lessons in a practical context and further her own understanding of concepts. Her education at Sinclair was meaningful. She wasn’t just reading about case studies and theories in textbooks; she was learning firsthand from people who practiced what they taught.

Now, as executive director of Dayton, Ohio, Habitat for Humanity, Diane puts the skills she learned at Sinclair to use on a daily basis.

“My time at Sinclair made me a lifelong learner,” Diane said. “Everything that happens makes you who you are at the end of the day, and you bring a little bit of Sinclair with you everywhere you go.

“The impact of Sinclair is so evident to me every time I attend one of the commencement exercises. You have graduates from every walk of life, age group and background. It’s a unique institution that can help such a wide variety of people, by creating a level playing field for everyone to succeed. Sinclair is that place.

“It was my time at Sinclair, as both an employee and a student, that made me realize how important it is to give back to the Miami Valley,” Diane said. “I learned a lot about being a good steward of the community and making a difference for people who really need it. Sinclair and Habitat look for issues that need to be addressed and people who need to be helped. They make things happen, and I’m proud to be part of that change.”

By Meghann Heft

Meghann Heft recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Dayton. She can be reached at meghann.heft@gmail.com.