Alexis Schindler
Contributing writer
[email protected]
The Women in Business club met for the first time Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 5 p.m. in the Business Building.
WIB is open to women of all majors. According to the presentation shown at the meeting, their mission is “to promote professionalism, promote empowerment, build both professional and personal relationships, provide education, and encourage women and their futures in the professional world.” The club wants to help women entering male-dominated fields be successful.
Junior marketing major Amanda Swift is the president of the club. The idea for the club came from a Women in Business meeting Swift attended with a friend at Illinois State University. She was inspired by the former students that were on the panel at this meeting and believed this was something Murray State needed.
Swift worried the club would run into some issues.
”I was worried that there would be some push back due to it being for a specific gender,” Swift said. “But so far I have only had positive reactions, which is very encouraging.”
The club is being sponsored by Jan Super, assistant professor in the Department of Management, Marketing and Business Administration.
“I am super excited,” Super said. “When these young ladies came to me with this idea, I was all for it.”
The club plans to engage with students through several different workshops, including an interview workshop and a Linked-In workshop. The club will also be dedicating time to teach students what not to wear to professional
events like job interviews.
WIB also plans to have several guest speakers over the course of the year, mainly women who work in male-dominated fields.
The WIB club plans to host a non-profit panel in November for its members. There will also be a panel of past Murray State female students who are currently in the workforce.
At the end of the semester, the club plans to host a “mocktail” party for their members. This will show WIB members how to establish connections in the business world.
In the second semester of the year, the club will have their members fill out applications to get to know more about them and their goals. At this time, they will also require their members to pay a $20 fee. This fee will go toward a shirt and binder for the club member.
WIB will encourage club members to be involved in a mentor program. The program will allow juniors and seniors to mentor underclassmen. The mentorship program will give students a chance to bond and help one another achieve their goals.
Freshman business administration major Haley Eaton attended the meeting. She said she plans to be a part of the club and is very excited for it. She hopes the club will provide her with connections in the business industry and skills for her future.
Swift said the club is interested in working with other campus organizations and is currently discussing collaboration.
The next meeting for WIB will be Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 5:00 or 5:30 p.m.
The club can be found on Facebook at Women in Business MKY. In the coming days, they will be posting more information about their club.
