Summary
Leaving a small town to join the U.S. Marine Corps was a transformative experience—not only in leaving as a Marine, but in observing the strength that comes from our differences and appreciating the impact to be made as a team member.

Key Takeaways:

• The U.S. Marine Corps is a melting pot of different people—united under one common mission of defending our country.
• It was my time in bootcamp on Parris Island that made me appreciate the strength in our differences.
• The U.S. Marine Corps gave me a sense of belonging and purpose, and I’m proud to work at Hershey where that service is celebrated.

These days, it feels like we are encouraged to find ways to stand out from the crowd as if being one of many in a group isn’t enough to feel important in our rapidly expanding social lives. We live in a time when social media influencers are revered, and followers are part of the scenery. It’s always better to be an influencer than a follower, right?

When I was a freshly minted 18-year-old in the early 1990s, we didn’t use the terms of “influencer” and “follower.” Those labels were decades away. Instead, we spoke in terms of “leaders” and “individuals.” While the words have changed over the decades, the spirit and context of them remains the same: people want to belong to something bigger than themselves. Often, we unfairly equate success with being the leader and assign lesser success to being a follower, but I believe there are many roles to play in the path to success and one of these roles is as a contributing member of a strong team.

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The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company is an industry leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to doing the right thing for its people, planet, and communities. Hershey has more than 20,000 employees in the U.S. and worldwide who work daily to deliver delicious, high-quality products. The company has more than 90 brand names in approximately 80 countries that drive more than $11.2 billion in annual revenues, including Hershey's, Reese's, Kisses, Kit Kat®, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers, and salty snacks including SkinnyPop, Pirate's Booty and Dot's Homestyle Pretzels.

For over 130 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. The candy and snack maker's founder, Milton Hershey, created Milton Hershey School in 1909, and since then, the company has focused on helping children succeed through equitable access to education.

To learn more visit www.thehersheycompany.com.

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