(5/2022) This Powerhouse Woman is Passionate about Parents, Police and Prosperity

Born and raised in Warren, Michigan, Kelly Schulz moved to Frederick County, Maryland, in 2003, in search of better opportunities for her family. We got up close and personal with Kelly to learn more about her journey. She was an open book and passionately shared what she believes matters most.

What do you love about living in Frederick County?

I would say, without a shadow of doubt, the sense of community. The community is strong...It’s interesting to see how Frederick has grown and progressed over the years...the community closeness has not subsided...people have that sense of wanting to stay connected, even though the growth has continued.

What do you like to do for fun?

My favorite thing is to be outside...I can go hiking on the trails or I can do paddle boarding and canoeing on the lake. I like going up to Catoctin Mountain...head to a winery or brewery or head to Downtown Frederick. There are so many options. For me, that’s what I like most about Frederick County...when I’m outdoors, that’s when I’m happiest!

Why did you choose to study political science when you attended Hood College?

When I first went to school—right out of high school, before I dropped out of college—I was an International Business student, studying Spanish and Marketing. I was going to travel the world…that was the plan...that plan got diverted. So, when I decided to go back to school, I wanted to be a lawyer and chose to study political science as an entryway into law school...What I didn’t take into account was that both of my boys were entering college at the same time. I was a single mom at that point, so paying for my law school and for the kids to go to school was a bit of a stretch. It's ironic that I was a political science major, with no intention of going into politics...Instead, I worked in the defense contracting world for a long period of time.

Is there a memory from your time at Hood College that stands out?

I have so many great memories. They called me "Soccer Mom." I would always talk about my kids and how I had to rush home after classes because I had to get someone to a lacrosse or hockey game. I was like, "You guys are almost right…I’m a lacrosse and hockey mom."

My time at Hood College afforded me the opportunity to expand my horizons and meet people with many perspectives and viewpoints. We were able to have open dialogue in all of our classes...Many people in my classes were almost the age of my kids. We were able to have some great intellectual conversations...I think they respected my honesty...I became more confirmed with my beliefs ... that was an important part of my growth as my adulthood and my professional life continued to move forward...Hood is very near and dear to my heart.

How do you feel motherhood has formed your values and influenced your priorities?

My kids are everything. I focused my life around my children. I think that was just what I was set up to do. When I was 20 years old and I had my first son, I had not expected to be a young 20-year-old mom, newly married; but what it allowed me to do was to focus on my priorities at that time...I waited a lot of tables and tended a lot of bar. I did anything that I could to help support the family. My number one priority was to spend that time with the kids in their formative years...So, when we as a family were ready for me to go back to school and go back to work, it was something that fit into the natural course...[My boys] started to see their mom in a different way. And, I think that it was really important for them to understand that there were other things out there for mom.

What inspired you to create a Parental Bill of Rights?

Whether in public school or private school, parents and children have experienced many challenges over the past few years. I think those challenges have always been there. Working moms have always had challenges related to balancing their children’s education and their professional lives...So, the questions arose about what to do with our public school system in the given conditions. It was important for me to put something on paper...Education through Zoom classes became very transparent. And we need to keep it transparent...Parents need to know they have the ability to be a part of the educational experience for their kids.

If you could give parents one word of wisdom, what would it be?

I would say patience. You learn so much about patience as time goes on. As I look at my daughter-in-law, the mother of my new grandson, I'm reminded that time seems infinite, but it really isn’t. When you have a bad day, just have patience because tomorrow is going to be a better day. Next year is going to be a different year than this year. Kids go through phases. Kids go through cycles. Love them every single minute and have the patience to understand that no matter what happens, they are the most important part of your world...In that patience, not to take so much ownership in a single moment, but to expand it into a lifetime. Patience pays off.

Why is supporting Law Enforcement so important to you?

Well, I think this is number one...if you don’t have security, then nothing else matters. Education doesn’t matter. Prosperity doesn’t matter. If you cannot feel safe as a family, nothing else matters...that’s why it’s so important. When you talk about some of the main priorities that government should have, public safety has to be at the top of that list. We have to be able to move into a mindset where criminals are treated like criminals and police are treated as heroes and given the respect that they deserve, because they are the ones putting themselves on the line every single day. That shouldn’t be controversial.

What would you say to young girls, and women of all ages, about pursuing their own dreams and aspirations, especially in arenas where, historically, they have not participated?

Eight years ago, the Governor asked me to be the Secretary of Labor. There had never been a female Secretary of Labor. Three years ago, I became the Secretary of Commerce. There had never been a female Secretary of Commerce. I never knew that until I was in those positions and somebody said, "You know, there has never been a female in that position in Maryland." So, I guess my advice to young girls and young women is: don’t pay attention to it...You are qualified to do ANYTHING IN THE WORLD that you want to do...I wouldn’t use gender as a way to say that you can or you cannot accomplish anything because I never paid attention to it in my whole professional career. I gave it no thought, whatsoever. Just go out and do it! Just prove yourself for the person you are and the accomplishments that you have been able to achieve and the accomplishments that you will achieve.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?

My favorite band is Van Halen. (I’m David Lee Roth all the way!) Growing up near Detroit, we were all about rock-n-roll...I was very into the long-hair 80’s bands at that time. However, the very first concert I ever went to was Prince in Detroit. It was a great concert.