2019 Empowerment Day celebrates aspiring businesswomen

Organized by Lindner Women in Business, Empowerment Day is the program's annual leadership conference intended to enrich, enlighten and empower students as they prepare to enter the workforce after graduation.

“Lindner Women in Business offers a safe place for women to explore who they are and their potential,” said Karen Manning, an annual adjunct assistant professor in the Lindner College of Business who also serves as the program’s advisor. “The magic of this conference — let alone the program — is seeing students grow in their self-confidence and do things they didn’t think they were capable of doing.”

Two women were recognized for their leadership and service to the regional business community: Katie Fisher, BBA ’16, and Heather Harris. Fisher, a senior associate in risk consulting at accounting firm KPMG, received the Outstanding Alumna Award. Harris, an investor and consultant with extensive marketing and sales experience at retail brands like Calvin Klein and Donna Karan, received the Distinguished Service Award.

While Empowerment Day is beneficial for current Lindner students, about 25 high school seniors with outstanding offers for admission were also in attendance. The conference gave them a more in-depth idea of what life as a Lindner student could be, and for at least one prospective student, the experience helped solidify her decision.

“I was going back and forth between Lindner and another university, but, after today, I’m going to be a Bearcat,” one student said.

Lindner Women in Business was founded in the spring of 2013 as a student organization made up of 30 members and transitioned to a Lindner Diversity and Inclusion program in the summer of 2018, and has since grown its membership to 150 students. The board organizes various events and programming throughout the year for all members of the community to achieve success and uplift those around them. Learn more about the program and how to get involved.