Southwestern Michigan College students know Kim Gravel is visiting their campus Wednesday,
Oct. 4.
She already assigned them homework.
“I’m going to be at your college, talking to you about how to be the boss of your lives,” Gravel said. “I want you to write down three things you’re good at or three things that make you special before I get there.”
Gravel speaks at 3 p.m. in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on the Dowagiac campus as part of SMC’s free, public Academic Speaker Series.
South Bend rockers the Paul Erdman Band starts the afternoon at 2:30.
Gravel will be keynote speaker for First Lady Sarah Mathews’ third annual by-invitation mentoring dinner that evening in Mathews Conference Center East on the topic, “Believe in Your Own Beauty.”
Before Facebooking live with the former Miss Georgia Sept. 21 in the Student Activity Center theater, students watched one of the pageant coach’s favorite episodes from two Lifetime seasons of “Kim of Queens.”
Perhaps because she was once an “ugly duckling” herself, Gravel sees potential in “rough-around-the-edges” Addison, who prefers hunting, fishing and clogging.
Gravel molds her protégé until Addison passes seasoned pageant pros to win the first contest she enters.
“I was mentored by Norman Rockwell’s niece,” Gravel said. “Confidence took time. When you walk into the world and know there’s nobody like me is the fact I’m walking in my purpose. When you figure out what your purpose is, confidence comes. It’s not about looks, clothes, grades or boyfriends. Nothing can validate you other than knowing your purpose. When you know what you were put on earth to do, you’re unstoppable. Surround yourself with people who can give constructive criticism — not negativity. To run the race of your lives takes endurance, encouragement and a whole lot of courage.”
Whether walking through an airport or the grocery store, “I look people in the eye and mentally bless them. What you put out comes back to you. Love yourself and bless and love others. My purpose is to make people better. I did that for queens. I do that on QVC. I do that in my everyday life with my girlfriends and neighbors. Purpose is a bigger calling than being a teacher, banker or veterinarian. Those are vocations. Purpose is what melts your butter. Mine is to build. My best friend Amy’s is to bring order. She’s very organized.”
Her twist on the Biblical Golden Rule of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is “pouring into others what was poured into me.”
“We’re all in this together, all the same in different ways, all connected,” she said. “Your race, age, size, sex and who you date don’t matter. We all want to be validated, we all want to be loved and we all want to know why we’re here. Success, to me, is being able to figure that out together. When I reach the pearly gates, I want to hear, ‘Well done, my child. Good job, Kim.’ That’s the ultimate success.”
Besides the 2014-15 docu-series with the antics of her mother, Jo, and sister, Allisyn Hardee, providing comedic relief, Gravel is seen regularly on Chicago’s “Steve Harvey Show” and Headline News Network as a recurring contributor.
She is featured on the SiriusXM radio show “Dirty Pop” with Lance Bass from NSYNC in the weekly advice column segment “Gravel Mail.”
Her newest venture, the Belle by Kim Gravel apparel and cosmetic line, launched on QVC Aug. 22.
In 1991, 19, Gravel became one of the youngest Miss Georgias, representing her home state in the Miss America pageant. As a result, was asked to serve as U.S. Goodwill Ambassador to Japan.
Combining expertise in communication and leadership, Gravel is also a certified Life Coach whose compassionate, yet straightforward, “Dr. Phil-esqe” style keeps her in high demand as a mentor, advisor and consultant.
Gravel is a sought-after speaker, specializing in women’s empowerment, inspirational motivation and beauty and image perception.
She hosts her own sold-out women’s conferences annually in Atlanta, where she lives with her “three kids” — husband, Travis, and sons Beau and Blanton.
Southwestern Michigan College is a public, residential and commuter, community college, founded in 1964. The college averages in the top 10 percent nationally for student academic success based upon the National Community College Benchmark Project. Southwestern Michigan College strives to be the college of first choice, to provide the programs and services to meet the needs of students, and to serve our community. The college is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges.