Opinion: Modeling grit

Nacy Tai Ryerson

As we celebrate the 26th class of the Most Influential Women, we are reminded that influence is never built alone. Each of us is shaped by the mentors who came before us and by the responsibility we take on to guide those who follow. True influence is not only about what we achieve; it is about the legacy we help create through others.

Mentorship is the thread that weaves generations together. Many of us can recall those who encouraged us to step into leadership, who offered wisdom in difficult moments, or who modeled what it means to lead with both grit and compassion. Their steady presence shaped our paths in ways large and small. In turn, we now carry the opportunity to invest in others – students, colleagues, neighbors and friends – reminding them of their worth, their gifts and their potential.

In my own journey, I have been guided by many women and men who offered mentorship at pivotal moments. When co-founding EnCompass Academy during the height of the pandemic in 2020, their encouragement and wisdom made the impossible seem possible. I could not have done it without their mentorship. Their example reminds me that we are better together, and that true progress comes when we share knowledge and support rather than working in isolation.

The women we honor this year embody that cycle of giving and receiving influence. Each has been shaped by mentors who invested in them, and each is now weaving her own threads of leadership into the fabric of Springfield’s future. Their lives remind us that mentorship is reciprocal: When one person is lifted, the strength of the entire community is multiplied.

Congratulations to the 2025 class of Most Influential Women. May your influence continue to ripple across generations, inspiring us all to lift as we climb and to carry forward the power of mentorship.

Nacy Tai Ryerson is the co-founder and superintendent of EnCompass Academy and a member of Springfield Business Journal’s 2024 Most Influential Women. She can be reached at nacy@encompass.academy.