On Friday, Mar. 1, hundreds of Cal Poly students lined up inside the Performing Arts Center to attend the “largest student-run event of the year:” Defining Her Future.
Defining Her Future is a spin on a traditional networking event or career fair. It is a conference hosted by the Women in Business club, featuring all-female panels and workshops comprised of Cal Poly alumni and industry professionals.
“It’s just a great conference for people to come, connect, grow and learn both professionally and personally,” business administration senior and event coordinator Simone Puchar said.
This year, the event coincided with the first day of Women’s History Month.
“Being on the first [of March] this year, it’s just really special,” Puchar said. “I think it’s just a wonderful way to start off by having so many powerful women in one place.”
Attendees were greeted by a team of volunteers who offered them raffle tickets, a bag of free merch and a name tag.
The event kicked off with a keynote speaker, Vice President of Talent Operations for Norwest Kris Snodgrass, who shared her experience as a recruiter for various software, marketing and financial companies.
As speeches ended, attendees mingled with other guests, networked and snapped photos in front of the “Defining Her Future” backdrop.
Lunch was sponsored by Mr. Pickles and Celsius, and those in attendance were invited to get their LinkedIn headshots taken. Students then broke up into small groups to hear from various panelists.
They discussed topics like forming relationships, finding your flow and maintaining a healthy mindset while navigating professional obstacles. Each session lasted an hour, allowing time for a Q&A towards the end.
“It’s like a huge community of support [with] women trying to help other women. And it’s lovely, it’s amazing,” business administration sophomore Kathleen Nguyen said.
Companies like Oracle and Microsoft sent representatives and had booths at the event to share their company values and network with students.
“They’re telling their story, [and] they’re being very personal with you,” Puchar said. “You get to know them more, and you also have the opportunity to connect with them further for any job opportunities.”
Graphics communication sophomore Kristen Burr appreciated the diversity within the networking space.
“Any sort of major [is] welcome here,” Burr said. “Defining her Future is for [all] people.”
As event coordinator, Puchar was in charge of choosing a theme for the conference and in vetting different ideas, Puchar settled on the word “persist.”
“It’s a word that’s really resonated with me throughout my time here at Cal Poly, and something I want all the speakers and panelists to elaborate on,” Puchar said. “It’s about staying in motion, keeping your flow, and [to] keep going no matter what challenges you may face.”
The theme was integrated into workshops, panels and merch and resonated with many attendees.
“[It meant] to stand firm in my morals and my values, and to not let to not let the modern world tell me what I can and can’t do,” Burr said. “Business is typically pretty male-dominated so it’s interesting to see women in business coming together in a different light, a different energy to make this support group.”
To keep up with future Women In Business events, visit the Cal Poly Women in Business Instagram, or visit their website.
