Women on the Move: Spotlight | Tanya Lynn Colón

I began my career at Yale in 2012 as my employer at the time was being acquired by a company that did not want to keep the current employees. It became a mad dash to find a job to support me and my family. Being from the area I have always heard about how difficult it was to get into Yale, so I applied with little hope of being hired. But at least I would have a story to tell about not getting into Yale, right? Wrong. From the time I applied at Yale to the time I was hired was a total of only two months, and it only took that long because I applied right before winter recess. 

 

I began as a Sr. Administrative Assistant/Fellowship Coordinator in Diagnostic Radiology with Yale. Just two months into my role, I was promoted to Education Coordinator overseeing 70+ residents and fellows, managing a direct report, visiting students, and much more. After three years in Diagnostic Radiology, I moved on to the Child Study Center as a Program Coordinator overseeing their child psychiatry programs. And within five years I was promoted again, this time to a Program Administrator where I oversaw child psychology, social work and child psychology training programs. I spent 7 years at the Child Study Center before moving across campus to the Athletics department where I am today. I’ll be entering my fourth year in Athletics this fall and my second role within the department.   

 

In every role I have held at Yale, I have come in and made the job my own. In many instances there was no one to teach me what I needed to know, which left it up to me to be creative and envision the structure and outcomes of my roles. I have been fortunate to have supportive supervisors who have led me toward success. In Radiology, I revamped the inherited interview process which consisted of a large pool of candidates interviewing on one day with not enough interviewers, to less applicants per day, more days and more thorough interviews. While in the Child Study Center, I revamped their interview processes as well bringing in more applicants per day, one and half interview days and more time to learn about the program from current fellows. And during the COVID-19 pandemic I mastered the Zoom interview process, ran fully remote interviews with multiple interviewers, applicants and zoom rooms.  I then shared my knowledge and schedules with the GME Program Coordinators Group.

 

Currently I am the Assistant Athletic Director of Finance Administration in the Yale Athletics department. I manage the travel planning of our thirty-four varsity teams, I am the Ops Administrator of the department, and I oversee payroll and other finance tasks related to the budget and Athletics’ operations. 

 

Every day is different and every day I am surrounded by a group of my peers that love what they do, which makes it fun to come to work. I have learned so much over the last 3 years about the NCAA, collegiate athletic programs, Yale Athletics and how important sports are to our college athletes and the Yale community. I enjoy getting to know our coaches and athletes as well as cheering on our student athletes. The rapidly moving change in travel plans for our teams, especially during the spring are both challenging and rewarding and my success means that the Athletics’ programs run smoothly.

 

My current role, as well as roles I have held in the past, requires organization, patience, and kindness to be successful. One of my former supervisors would often mention that what I did was like herding cats, and I would laugh and not think too much about it. But as I reflect back, she was absolutely correct. And if someone would ask me, “How do you herd cats?” my response would be to color code them and add them to an Excel spreadsheet, of course. Patience and kindness go hand in hand and early in my career I recognized that all people want is for those they work with to be kind and patient with them. Whether it was my first job at Party City or my current role working with coaches here at Yale, being genuinely helpful with a smile and some patience is a critical career skill.             

 

My family is sports oriented. Athletics has always enhanced my lifestyle and that has become even more so since I have been working in the Yale Athletics department.  I am surrounded by opportunities that I never knew existed and I am also able to be present at my children’s games and school functions. Working for Yale Athletics gives me an inside peek into what I can expect when my children head off to college and participate in college athletics themselves. It is also amazing when my children have favorite Yale student athletes they cheer for at every game. 

 

I never thought I would be at Yale for over five years let alone ten. I was assuming this would just be another step along the way to fill my learning bank with academia knowledge. But looking back over the last 13 years, I am happy and fulfilled because of how far I have come in my career with Yale. And I am excited to see where I will be in the future.

 

If you enjoy sports, collaborating with people face to face and having interactions with people of all professional levels, then Athletics is for you. 

 

If I could go back in time, I would head straight to Athletics. There are so many different career paths to choose from that – whether you are a doctor, a trainer, financial analyst or coach – the opportunities are endless. Most young people are not aware of the opportunities available to them when they graduate high school, as only the most common options are pushed as potential college majors. I believe that entering into college as an ‘undecided’ and exploring everything around you is the best option for finding a career you will truly love. 

 

I am currently on the Yale Latino Networking Group (YLNG) committee as well as a past co-chair. I run community give back events with YLNG and the University, including the Annual Mother’s Day Drive, collecting toiletry and self-care items for New Haven women living in shelters, Back-to-School Fair, collecting back-to-school items and handing them out during a large event in the summer, and the holiday toy drive where we collect and wrap new toys and clothing for families in need within New Haven. I’ve completed the Emerge at Yale Cohort 3 Leadership program this past June, which was an amazing opportunity for anyone looking to advance within Yale.  I am the director of the Yale Athletics Middle School Learn to Row program at Gilder Boathouse, offering a free one week rowing program for children in Derby and New Haven. I run the Yale Athletics community tennis program offering free tennis clinics to youth residing in New Haven. I participate in the United Way Read Aloud day and I am a member of Working Women’s Network (WWN) and Yale African American Affinity Group (YAAA). If there is a need in our Yale community, I am happy to lend a hand.

 

Being a working woman at Yale mean’s that you matter, you make a difference and your opportunities are endless. But remember, this does not mean that by just sitting behind your monitor great things will fall into your lap, you have to work hard while believing that there is no one better for the job than yourself.  

 

Network. Reply “Yes” to that invite. Step out of your comfort zone. Join a committee or group. Attend a Yale sporting event. By taking some time to explore what Yale has to offer you are opening up opportunities you never knew existed. I have grown as an employee, as a parent and as a woman during my time at Yale. And I believe this is because I accepted that invite. I now look back wondering where the time has gone and WOW, I’ve accomplished and done a lot. 

 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

 

 

 

Do you know someone who has recently made a move within Yale?  Send suggestions to mckenzie.granata@yale.edu