After the kick-off of the Darden School's third annual Women's Leadership Week yesterday, a number of events are offering Darden students an opportunity to explore issues relating to women in the business world this week.
Along with several businesses, Darden's chapter of the National Association of Women MBAs is sponsoring the week-long event. The focus, according to Kelly Boehnke, vice president for the NAWMBA chapter at Darden, is the theme of building a new leadership legacy founded by female professionals, including those developing their career skills at Darden.
"Women are historically underrepresented in the business world ... very few women are CEOs," Boehnke said. "The biggest idea is to bring awareness to women in the business field and raise some of the difficult questions that both women and men face in the ... [business] world."
Marsh Pattie, Darden director of student affairs, said topics for the week include "women leadership [and] climbing the corporate ladder," adding that he believes the planned events will "draw a lot of interest from the Darden community."
In the past, more women than men have attended the various events throughout the week, Boehnke said, but all events are open to the entire community, and many of them have been well-attended by both genders in the past.
A book reading by Lily Powell, co-author of "Women in Business: the Changing Face of Leadership," started the week's festivities yesterday, Boehnke said, and other speakers this week will include Fluke Corporation President Barbara Hulit and Anne Weisberg, Deloitte director of the U.S. Talent Organization. A panel discussion on female entrepreneurship will be held later in the week.
Closing the week Friday will be Darden's annual Mardi Gras ball and charity auction at the Farmington Country Club, said Connie English, Darden staff member and board member of the Charlottesville Center for Help in Emergency. Proceeds from the capstone event will benefit SHE to emphasize the importance of female leadership and of women helping women.
The goal of SHE is to "end domestic violence in the [Charlottesville] community," English said, adding that the organization also helps to shelter women who have suffered domestic abuse.
Boehnke said the final event, in conjunction with earlier ones, will further address the week's themes of "diverse work environment and employment," as well as the need for more women in corporate leadership roles, while stressing the importance of the question, "How do we all work together?"
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