Future career success at forefront of Women in Business Organization

“Our mission is to form a dynamic group of collegiate women who support, mentor and inspire each other.”

The following article comes from the Summer 2021 edition of Blue Review, Millikin University’s Family Magazine

Future career success is at the forefront of what the Women in Business (WIB) organization at Millikin University works to achieve for its members. Founded in 2018, this organization caters directly to female students enrolled in the Tabor School of Business who want to build networks, connect with other businesses and give back to women-run businesses in Decatur, Ill., and the surrounding area.

In 2020-21, Women in Business had a year of tremendous growth, beginning the term with three members and ending with 26. Under the direction of Elizabeth Wolpert, assistant to the Dean of enrollment at the Tabor School of Business and advisor for Women in Business, the organization began planning events for member recruitment and to raise awareness of their mission at the beginning of the school year.

“Our mission right now is to form a dynamic group of collegiate women who are there to support, mentor and inspire each other, and also gain mentoring support and inspiration from other women in the community,” said Wolpert.

Operating under three core objectives, the organization hopes to bring together businesswomen of all experience levels, from high school students interested in business majors to women who are seasoned veterans of the business sector.

“We hope to push into high schools to increase interest in business careers, promote Millikin’s Tabor School of Business and to give back to women in business,” Wolpert said.

Preparing students for career success is at the core of what the Women in Business organization hopes to accomplish. Anna Hooker, a Decatur-native who is double majoring in management information systems and business management with a concentration in supply chain and logistics, joined Women in Business in fall 2020 with the intention to create relationships with the women of Tabor.

“I have had the opportunity to develop relationships with women who are extremely driven and dedicated, which has been so inspiring,” Hooker said, discussing how the organization has helped her prepare for future success.

“Being a member of Women in Business has allowed me to empower those around me, get involved, network and develop meaningful relationships,” said Hooker. “My time well-spent in this organization will prepare me for my future career and also help me evolve into the successful individual Tabor has prepared me to be when I graduate.”

Hooker ran for an Executive Board position within Women in Business this past spring.

WIB has also allowed Tabor students to exercise their unique interests and what they have learned at Millikin before graduation. “Since being with WIB, I have had the opportunity to apply my digital media marketing degree,” said Chelsea (CJ) McCullum, a sophomore from Oswego, Ill., who is double majoring in digital media marketing and Spanish with a minor in design thinking. “I was able to share my social media work with the organization, and I learned how to make effective flyers and posters.”

Networking proves to be a main goal for Women in Business as well, with members sharing experiences and knowledge with each other and businesswomen throughout the community. “I’ve had the opportunity to learn other members’ backgrounds and experiences while being part of WIB. We are a pretty tight community of strong women,” said McCullum, who is also the organization’s vice president of marketing.

In terms of future success, WIB strives to connect Tabor students with women who have worked hard to achieve success in their businesses and careers. “We want to break down barriers and connect with those women who own small businesses and have created what they have from the ground up,” said Wolpert. “Learning about them and their experiences, and becoming part of their networks helps our students gain a better understanding of what’s going on in the Decatur community.”

The organization welcomes all students enrolled in Millikin’s Tabor School of Business majors, minors and certificates, and includes adult learners in the MBA program.

To get involved with Women in Business, contact Elizabeth Wolpert at ewolpert@millikin.edu.

Blue Review

Millikin University’s “Family Magazine,” Blue Review provides fresh and interesting perspectives from campus. From faculty and student stories to new programs and majors to achievements in our athletics and alumni communities, Blue Review has Millikin pride emblazoned across its brilliant pages. Readers will enjoy original photography, design and artwork, collaborative content developed by staff, faculty and students, and a behind-the-scenes look at the fascination and innovation powering the Millikin Momentum.

Our most recent issue covers Millikin’s 97 percent graduate success rate and every step that students take to get there. It looks at how students have risen to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and how they have grown as a result of the educational Performance Learning opportunities Millikin has helped provide. While the world paused, Millikin students continued to persevere, showing their strengths to the campus, community and employers around them.

CREDIT: millikin.edu