WBLC adds Director of Student Engagement and Outreach
JONESBORO – The Women’s Business Leadership Center (WBLC) at Arkansas State University strives to positively impact the lives and futures of young women on campus. The center, founded in 2016, provides many opportunities for ladies attending the university including mentoring, scholarships, internships and other educational opportunities.
“This year has been one of rapid growth and change," said Dr. Patricia Quinn Robertson Johnston, executive director of the Women’s Business Leadership Center.
Johnston said they have added Gwennette Confer in a new position as director of student engagement and outreach.
“I want to focus on building strong, meaningful connections between students, mentors and the broader community,” said Confer.
Confer said she will work to create and facilitate a wide range of opportunities for student engagement, including leadership academies, mentoring events, conferences, workshops and retreats.
“A significant part of my work will be leading initiatives that connect university students, high school and junior high girls to participate in leadership development at an early stage. Additionally, I will oversee WBLC service projects, ensuring leadership interns gain valuable, hands-on learning experiences,” she continued.
The number of students who participate in the variety of programs offered by WBLC has quadrupled. Students across campus from different majors have been part of programs such as step up, reach back; career readiness; service project “Leadership Interns” and scholarships.
This year, 23 students traveled to New York and 11 students traveled to Atlanta for a conference this month.
“Since 2016 we have provided thousands of hours of mentoring and career preparation for WBLC Leadership Interns who are A-State students,” Johnston added.
The annual Women’s Leadership Conference, which is free for all attendees, usually hosts about 500 people including high school students, college students and professionals.
“I want students to know that the WBLC is a welcoming and inclusive space where they can grow both personally and professionally, regardless of their major. While the center focuses on leadership development, it is open to all students, not just those in business-related fields,” Confer added.
She added that they typically award more than 20 scholarships each year and expect the funding for those scholarships to continue to grow.
More information on the WBLC may be found at AState.edu/wblc.
