From the Plattsburgh State campus to the Harvard University campus, PSU Women in Leadership is uniting female students across all majors.
With focuses on post-graduate opportunities and the infamous glass ceiling, the club’s goal is to prepare members for life after college.
“We make sure women are ready for the real world,” Haley Miller, club president and fitness and wellness major, said.
PSU Women in Leadership was started a few years ago, and the past and present executive board has been working to grow it ever since. Originally, the club was mainly centered around female business majors.
Samantha Railey, the former club president and now a PSU graduate, had the goal of expanding to all majors and encouraging more women to join. Miller was the Vice President of Communications at that time, and once she became the president the following year, that initial goal became her job.
“As a fitness and wellness major,” Miller said. “I don’t know a lot about business.”
Whether she knows a lot about business or not, Miller has certainly helped reshape PSU Women in Leadership. Since she has become the new president, that original goal of including all majors has been successful. The club now also includes female political science majors, public relations majors, fitness and wellness majors and more. And, according to Miller, they are always looking for new members and to evolve even more.
“We’re very open to new ideas,” Miller said.
PSU Women in Leadership meet every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Meeting Room 5 upstairs in the Angell College Center (ACC). During their meetings, they often hold workshops, including ones focused on interview skills, resumes and cover letters and working with LinkedIn.
Chrysa Rabideau, the club treasurer, loves watching members flourish in the workshops and grow professionally.
“Everything I learned from the previous e-board and their guest speakers helped me develop myself professionally,” said Rabideau, “so I love passing along the knowledge and helping other women develop themselves professionally as well!”
Every fall, the executive board and deserving club members attend the Intercollegiate Business Convention at Harvard University. The convention is focused on gender equality in the workplace.
“It is an incredibly supportive and empowering environment,” Rabideau said.
The convention also features many keynote speakers, including well-known female executives. Last year, PSU Women in Leadership were able to listen to Gwynne Shotwell, the president and chief operating officer at SpaceX, as well as many others.
“A lot of inspiring women talk,” Miller said.
Aside from holding workshops and attending conventions, PSU Women in Leadership also makes an effort to give back.
Over the next week, the club will be accepting donations for Stop Domestic Violence, a program assisting victims of domestic violence, and hosting a raffle. For donations, the club will be tabling in the ACC on Friday, March 6, Monday, March 9 and Tuesday, March 10 at 7-9 p.m.
The club also recently signed up to participate in PSU’s Relay for Life in April.
PSU Women in Leadership is already planning for next year, and they hope to continue to welcome new women and help them grow. Many of their executive board members are graduating soon, and they are looking for eager female students to fill those spots.
The club hopes to continue to provide a supportive and empowering space for young women. The executive board wants to give members an opportunity to learn how to advocate for themselves, while also supporting other women.
“We want all women to succeed in their chosen industries,” Rabideau said. “And we do our best to provide a supportive environment for them to do so.”
Email Kristina Watrobski at cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
