2011-12 Events
Breaking through the Grass Ceiling
Time on a golf course is an ideal opportunity to build a relationship with a client, customer, or associate in a way that might not be possible in typical business settings. The Xavier Women's MBA Association (XWMBA) "Breaking through the Grass Ceiling" clinic aims to make sure your skills are on par!
Our annual training was led by XWMBA member and golf pro, Melissa Yeazell. After becoming a 4-year letter winner in Women's Golf at Xavier University, Melissa graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sport Management in 2000 and a Master of Business Administration Degree in 2007.
Melissa's teaching experience includes directing the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf Club of Cincinnati for two years, followed by four years of teaching all ages and skill levels at Kenwood Country Club. Her extensive playing career includes winning the Cincinnati Women's Met in 1997 and 2001, as well as, the 2004 Southern Ohio PGA Ladies Championship earning her SOPGA Female Player of the Year honors.
We utilized the Meadow Links training facility, complete with a putting green, practice bunker, and grass driving range, to help golfers of any skill level refine swing mechanics and improve many other aspects of their golf game. We learned about a variety of shots encountered on the golf course, including wood shots, iron shots, chipping, pitching, and putting. And we covered fundamentals of the game as well, including golf rules, score keeping, and etiquette.
An outstanding training facility paired with a professional instructor and the Women's MBA network is a powerful combination for building skills that will empower you in business and life.
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National Association of Women MBA's Conference
This year the NAWMBA conference was held in Irving, TX at the Irving Convention Center. The Xavier Women's MBA Association (XWMBA) has attended the conference for the past four years, but this was the first time the conference had been held in the heart of Texas. Being in such a great city led us to enjoy not on the conference, but also the excellent surrounding area!
This year's event featured keynote speakers Karen Hough, Founder and CEO of ImprovEdge and former Second City cast member; Ginger Hardage, Senior Vice President Culture and Communications at Southwest Airlines; and Margaret Heffernan, former CEO of InfoMation and producer for the BBC. All of the speakers brought a unique insight to the role of women in the workplace and shared their success stories.
The XWMBA chose a variety of breakout sessions over the three days of the conference from Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office to Choosing Goals that Make an Impact. The career fair hosted at the event brought companies from all over the United States who featured a multitude of MBA specific career paths and leadership opportunities. If you're an MBA or MBA student in the market for a new position, the NAWMBA Conference is a good place to start!
Networking events after the learning sessions were a great opportunity to meet other MBAs and MBA students, including a few from the Cincinnati area that have recently joined our student chapter! The XWMBA returned with some excellent ideas to incorporate for the remainder of the school year - event ideas, networking workshops, and creative marketing techniques to get the word out about the Xavier Women's MBA Association. There were even discussions on bringing a professional chapter of the National Women's MBA Association to Cincinnati, so be on the lookout for more information!
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Making a Career Change
The XWMBA cohosted the Making a Career Change workshop with the Professional Development Center. The keynote speaker was Ms. Dana Glasgo who is a career consultant. Maggie McClanahan of the XWMBA opened the event with a brief statement about our association and how to become a member before introducing Ms. Glasgo.
Ms. Glasgo provided a packet of valuable information that consisted of where to find resources, how to use assessment tools discussed at the workshop, career search strategies, and sample resumes. Ms. Glasgo shared her knowledge about how to make a successful career change as well as provided client career change stories which had a positive impact on the attendees.
After the workshop, several attendees networked with one another, and provided information regarding their companies for those who may be interested in working there. I set up an informational meeting with one of the attendees (who is currently in his first semester of the MBA program) and the Managing Director of my company. This attendee is interested in trading stocks and bonds, and since I work for an investment advisor, I thought he would gain valuable insight regarding the industry and certifications that need to be obtained.
The workshop was successful and we had a great turnout. Everyone who attended will be able to use the information they learned to make a successful career change in the future.
Be the CEO of Your Career
In February of 2012, XWMBA partnered with the Professional Development Center for the 'Be the CEO of Your Career' workshop. Mary Tettenhorst, the Assistant Director of Professional Development Center at XU facilitated this workshop to educate and guide professionals on how to find their passion, refine their goals, create a support system, and build their brand.
The workshop was highly attended by all ages, differing levels of experience, and stages of careers, but the common ground was in the fact that we all wanted to take charge of our professional futures. Mary did a fantastic job of keeping the audience engaged and answering questions as she followed a well thought out presentation. At one point we broke out into groups to discuss our individual career maps we had created and I found this to be very helpful.
Mary also provided us with a full list of resources and reminded the group about the support and guidance the PDC has to offer. Along with a "work in progress" career map, I took a lot of valuable information from this workshop. Most importantly, it got me to start thinking of my career's future and made me realize that it's not all up to chance; I have control over my professional destiny. Thank you Mary for providing this insightful information on how we can all learn to be the CEO of our careers.