Darlington School: Private Boarding School in Georgia Leadership Darlington Q&A with Lauren Bowling ('05)
Darlington School: Private Boarding School in Rome, GA
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Leadership Darlington Q&A with Lauren Bowling (’05)

Barton Lowrey | May 19, 2017 | 455 views

I recently caught up with my Darlington classmate, Lauren Bowling (’05), to get some feedback about her experience participating in the Leadership Darlington program in February.

These days, Lauren is the award-winning blogger and editor behind personal finance site Financial Best Life and author of "The Millennial Homeowner: A Guide to Successfully Navigating Your First Home Purchase." Blogging since 2012, she is now a recognized thought leader in the millennial finance space with her expertise featured in the pages of Redbook and Woman’s Day magazines and on leading online financial news sites, including Forbes, The Huffington Post, CNNMoney, and U.S. News and World Report. A full-time online business owner, Bowling teaches others how to master their finances and create their own economy via her body of digital products, free online courses, and weekly blog content.  

Please enjoy my Q&A with Lauren as she provides some insights about her Leadership Darlington experience.
 
What did you enjoy most about Leadership Darlington? 
 
Getting to learn more about the school and the programs that shaped who I am as a person. Also, getting to go back and experience how deeply everyone - leadership, teachers, alums - care about the school was really inspiring and reminded me of how special a place it really is. 
 
What were one or two things that you learned that you didn't know before? What surprised you? 
 
I really enjoyed learning about the strategic vision for the school and how all of the different components of Darlington come together to create a nurturing experience for the students. 
 
Most surprising? I really didn't know how much it took to operate all of Darlington "behind the scenes." It really is quite impressive. 

 
How has Darlington changed since you graduated? 
 
Too many ways to count – the leadership has changed, lots of new teachers, uniforms, no more school store, more "bonding" activities for students (RUMPUS, etc.)
 
Did you have the opportunity to connect with alumni from different decades? 
 
Yes, this was one of the most fun parts – getting to know new people that you didn't go to school with, but knowing you have that Darlington connection.
 
Were you able to ask questions about the programs and areas of the school you are most passionate about? 
 
Yes. There was lots of time for questions and discussions built into the program, and I loved learning about where the activities I was into in high school were over 10 years later. 
 
After completing the program, how do you plan to stay engaged with the school? 
 
Just keeping in better touch with the school and contributing consistently even in the small ways. After Leadership Darlington, now I know that every little bit of alumni support goes a long way. 
 
Would you recommend the program to classmates? 
 
Absolutely! It was an incredible learning experience. 

For those who may not know, Leadership Darlington is a prestigious and competitive opportunity for Darlington alumni to engage with their alma mater and school leaders on an in-depth, personal level. If you are interested in participating next year or becoming more involved in the school, please don't hesitate to reach out to me or Director of Alumni Relations Vicki Vincent.