Calhoun’s Ashleigh Coyne shadows UPS executive for a day

Ashleigh Coyne, a senior in Sanford H. Calhoun High School in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, recently arranged to shadow Laura Lane, the global public affairs officer at UPS for a day on Oct. 3.

Coyne’s leadership teacher Brian Joyce said she impresses with her compassion for others, her drive to succeed and her overall positive attitude.   

“She embodies the absolute best of what Calhoun has to offer and I know that she will succeed unequivocally at anything she sets her mind too,” he added.

Coyne said she has always found herself stuck between the private and public sectors.

“I have always wanted to work in service as was born into a family of nurses and teachers,” she added. “My father then reminded me that I have a connection with someone who was very successful in both fields, so I thought maybe I could follow Mrs. Lane around for a day to see if she is able to fulfill her need for service in a corporate job. I took a chance and emailed Mrs. Lane.”

Throughout the day, Coyne attended meetings and was able to experience real-life corporate interactions.

“It was clear that Mrs. Lane’s success sprouted from her innate ability to communicate and connect with her clients,” Coyne added. “She does an amazing job of making a person feel important and respected.”

Lane visited Voices of the Past students at the district’s administrative building in September 2022 and spoke about her involvement in service and humanitarian rights, as well as how she harnesses her corporate role to assist others in need.

During her day of shadowing, Coyne attended a Reuters sustainability panel, in which Lane and other individuals discussed their efforts to eliminate emissions.

“I learned so much from my day with Mrs. Lane but the most important lesson she taught me was to believe in the possible,” she added. “She explained that as long as I put in hard work and take care of myself, I can be successful in any field.”

In a LinkedIn post about the day’s experience, Lane wrote that she “loved getting to know her and expect anyone reading her college applications will be as impressed as I was by her intelligence and commitment to advancing solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges, like poverty alleviation and climate change.”

“Whatever field of study or career she eventually pursues, she is an inspiring young leader with so much talent to share with the world,” Lane continued.

After spending the day with Lane, Coyne said she can see herself pursuing a career in business and foreign affairs in the future. “She emphasized that no matter what career I choose, I can always use my position to make a change in the world,” Coyne added.