When Jessica finished graduate school, she quickly began evaluating and applying for positions to begin her professional career. And while most 2009 graduates - who entered the workplace in the height of the Great Recession - were just desperately trying to find full-time employment with benefits, Jessica knew that while employment was important, she also wanted to work for a company that did more than provide a salary. Jessica envisioned working for a company that cared about doing good in the world.
SAS easily fit her requirements, but it wasn’t until her first daughter Grace was born, that Jessica realized just how much SAS cares for the world and its employees.
When Grace was eight-months old, she was diagnosed with cortical visual impairment. While in utero, Grace suffered a stroke that impacted the visual processing centers of her brain. Her diagnosis came with many specialized physicians and therapists, but because cortical visual impairment isn't well understood, the diagnosis for Grace also came with a lot questions. How do we educate her properly? What interventions are needed to allow Grace to access the world around her?
No parent wants to see their child journey down a path with so many unknowns, but Jessica says that being a SAS employee helped ease the journey as SAS cared for her as a whole person, not just an employee. "I have never been more grateful for SAS' healthcare as I was in those moments," said Jessica. "SAS supported our family, by allowing me the flexibility to be equal parts mom and employee."
But Jessica's connection and commitment to SAS goes beyond flexibility and great healthcare. Jessica explained that she's equally thankful for the brilliant and curious minds of her colleagues, those that help her think through cortical visual impairment and how to best support Grace in her journey.
"I'm a marketer, but from what I know, developers who work in computer object recognition are doing a lot of the same things we are doing to help Grace categorize the things she sees in the world," said Jessica.
Those who know Jessica also know Grace's story. But during a flight to a SAS conference, one software developer struck up a conversation with Jessica, and took a keen interest in Grace's diagnosis. The two spent their flight discussing cortical visual impairment, not because of niceties, but because of genuine curiosity. That conversation dove into the parallels between artificial intelligence, and the possibilities of systematically training Grace's brain to build connections to better see the world around her, thanks to neuroplasticity.
"Today, he still sends me research that he finds, in hopes that something will spark an opportunity for my daughter," said Jessica, who reflected back on the relationship formed with a colleague who genuinely cares and continues to ask questions that will hopefully one day lead to new discoveries for Grace.
Today, Grace is a kindergarten student in an academic setting, where she's happy, healthy and thriving. Five years after Grace's diagnosis, Jessica says she's even more grateful to be part of a caring company, but now she understands what it really takes to work for, and be part of, a company that cares about doing good.
"It wasn't until I built relationships with people around me at work," said Jessica. "The people who are caring, smart and curious. That's when it really hit home for me - the people are what make SAS."