Q&A with Cheryl Halpern, President, Halpern Research
Editor’s note: Nancy Cox is the founder of Research Story Consulting and former CPG corporate researcher. Her work and play include words, sketchpads, cooking (not baking) and the occasional sock puppet.
Passions, hobbies, healthy distractions and even guilty pleasures – discover how the research community plays and how that plays out in their work life. In the Venn diagram of work and play, what happens when work and play overlap? Research colleagues share their work and play stories in this interview series by Nancy Cox.
Hello to Cheryl Halpern, president, Halpern Research
What is the “play” in your life?
Buddy Up Tennis is my play and my passion. Buddy Up Tennis is a national nonprofit organization that offers high-energy adaptive tennis and fitness programs for children and adults with Down syndrome. Volunteer Buddies are paired one-on-one with our Athletes – that’s the “Buddy” in Buddy Up!
Tennis has been a major play in my life since I vowed in seventh grade to dodge the eighth-grade physical education teacher by playing on the tennis team instead. I’ve now played some form of competitive tennis for more than four decades, pausing only when I was a corporate VP. When I “retired” from that job to my more flexible marketing consulting career, I picked up my racket again along with increasing my volunteer commitments.
In September of 2018, my volunteerism and my love for tennis came together. I was watching the NBC Nightly News and Kate Snow did an “Inspiring America” feature on an organization called Buddy Up Tennis. Buddy Up Tennis had been named the United States Tennis Association adaptive program of the year and had conducted a mini clinic at the U.S. Open in Arthur Ashe Stadium. I decided during that 4-minute segment that I wanted to volunteer for Buddy Up! I ran upstairs to my computer and discovered the organization hadn’t made it to Dallas … yet.
At first, the Buddy Up founder was a bit skeptical of my interest. I’m the only Buddy Up coordinator who does not have a direct tie to someone with Down syndrome. But this organization had struck my heart. I was confident that I could engage the Dallas tennis community, and quickly formed a partnership with The Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas, whose leadership was excited to offer this program to their members.
In March 2019, we launched our Dallas chapter. It was the biggest chapter launch in the organization’s history and we quickly became the largest chapter in the country, now serving more than 100 Athletes and engaging over 400 Buddy volunteers. We offer 28 sessions out of the 52 Sundays in a year. The Buddy Up Dallas chapter is also one of only two financially self-sustaining chapters. The founder and I now laugh about her initial reluctance.
The real joy is on the courts. Buddy Up makes sure every Athlete feels accomplished. We celebrate seemingly small achievements – every step forward. For some Athletes, that’s hitting five balls in a row over the net. For others, it may be simply engaging in group activities rather than sitting on the side of the court.
How has your play influenced your research work?
Empathy is critical to both my work and my play. As a researcher, I always strive to be sensitive to and understand the objectives, needs and feelings of clients and respondents. In Buddy Up, I work tirelessly to empathize with each Athlete and their family, as well as our Buddy volunteers. Success is dependent on doing everything I can to relate to their individual perspectives and motivations.
Additionally, I believe that athletic competition teaches the discipline and resilience needed to succeed in business. I’d love to say I’ve won every match, but I haven’t! Resilience is finding the wins, even when you come up short on the scoreboard. I recently lost a close doubles match. When I was chatting afterward with the two women who won, I realized I was 10 years older than their combined ages. That was the win – I played a grueling match with these far younger and very skillful women! I rely on that same resilience in every business interaction. Even if it doesn’t go the way I had hoped, what did I learn that will make me an even better research consultant moving forward?
What would you tell readers who want to know more about your area of play?
If Buddy Up Tennis moves you, please visit the website, www.buddyupforlife.org. There are 25 local chapters nationwide. When I’m recruiting volunteers, I value enthusiasm far more than tennis skills. I’d rather have someone with a great attitude and no tennis skills than the best player in the world who doesn’t exude energy and positivity on the court. If you know high school students who need community service hours, we offer a fun, hands-on way to log their time. If you have a tie to someone with Down syndrome, Buddy Up always welcomes more Athletes.
Of course, there are many meaningful volunteer opportunities beyond Buddy Up. After more than 25 years of active volunteerism, my advice is to find an organization that not only aligns with your passions but also needs help with the kind of tasks you enjoy. Do you want to volunteer alone or in a group? Do you want to do the task on your own schedule, or do you prefer having a set time? Do you want something one-off – like serving a Thanksgiving dinner – or a more ongoing commitment? Finding your best volunteer fit turns your passion into play!