University Women's Studies Prof. Holly Shulman will serve on the state Director's Advisory Council on Women's Business during the coming months to identify ways to promote the growth and success of the Commonwealth's 150,000 women-owned businesses.
The council, which held its first meeting in March, is composed of 18 other women -- primarily female business leaders, according to Deborah Hudson, program manager for the Virginia women's business enterprise foundation. Shulman is the sole academic on the council.
"We are looking at the question of what Virginia can do better to serve women-owned businesses," Hudson said. "What we are doing now, or should we be doing more."
At the University of Maryland, where Shulman worked from 1993 to 1998, she was the associate director for a program studying the role of women in science, technology and society.
"I told them they had the wrong person," Shulman said. "But they insisted they didn't."
Hudson said Shulman's extensive historical and sociological studies on the role of women in America's past will enable her to lend unique perspectives to the council.
"It's a broader appreciation for women in society, which I think is something that would be good for us to factor in," Hudson said. "I have a great sense that she's going to be a great contributor."
Among the issues the council will investigate is why women-owned firms comprise 30 percent of privately owned firms in Virginia but do not get 30 percent of government contracts, Hudson said.
The role of women in the emerging technology-oriented economy also will be heavily discussed, said Debbie Melvin, director of marketing and events for the Virginia department of business assistance.
"My experience at Maryland is it's often quite difficult for young women in engineering," Shulman said. "There's no doubt in my mind that engineering is a hard field for women."
Shulman added that the lack of women-owned technology businesses might be attributed to this fact.
The council will have significant autonomy in proposing new initiatives and programs, Hudson said.
"We're trying to allow the council some independence," Hudson said. "There are literally dozens of questions that abound."
Shulman said she is seizing the opportunity to participate in this discussion.
"Usually, if you're a political appointee, it's because you know someone," she said. "I thought this is something I shouldn't turn down, because it wasn't gonna happen again."
The council should issue a final report in September or October of this year, Melvin said.
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