YWiB, pronounced as why WiB, is short for Young Women in Business. It is a non-profit organization aimed at connecting young women with the skills and support (workshops, panels, and network opportunities) to achieve success on their own terms and to become engaged members of the community. The organization’s goal is to make every woman’s dreams come true by allowing its members to be involved in numerous ways. There is a Ladies in Pink volunteer group, SOUL mentorship, the Beyond Pink Conference, the International Women’s Day Conference, and countless seminars held throughout an academic year. I actually had heard about this organization in my first year of university, but didn’t pay attention to it because I thought it was a business-focused group. It was recently brought to my attention again when Clare from the Peak Communicators suggested that it is a great way to network and get involved, even for people in the public relations industry. I took her advice and attended one of YWiB’s last events for this school year.   

The event I attended today was the YWiB Wrap-up Party. Upon entering the tea party-themed event, there was a lot of free swag from the International Women’s Day Conference that was held last month. In the actual room, there was delicious food, a photomontage of the 2012/2013 school year, and a photo booth sponsored by Butter Studios. This was a great opportunity to meet the members and learn more about YWiB. Later on in the evening, a speech was given by the President and Vice President about success. They said that their success is measured in two ways: the first way of measuring is by targets. In the 2012/2013 school year, YWiB welcomed 120 new members, held at least 20 events, reached 1,200 Twitter followers and 500 Facebook likes, and maintained connections with over 100 companies. Success is also measured by the relationships that are formed with other members, mentors, and industry professionals through YWiB. Congratulations YWiB on another successful year! 

I also got a chance to speak with the new Vice President, Michaela Klassen. She told me about some of the events that are held annually and informed me of the YWiB application process for September. I know that I am caught in a difficult situation because most organizations started hiring for executive positions in March. My absence due to my co-op term made it almost impossible to get more involved by obtaining an executive position for the upcoming school year, but I expressed this interest anyway. To my surprise, Michaela said that they are still looking to fill the position of Director of Public Relations for one of the conference committees. The hiring process for this starts in September. I am glad I asked about other opportunities to be involved! I enjoyed the event and YWiB seems like a great fit for me because the people I met are like me in a sense that they are motivated and goal-oriented. I feel like I can learn a lot from the members and from the events. I cannot wait for the new school year to start!  

CMNSU is a departmental student union that connects students with Communications-related information by liaising with the department staff and other students. They organize Communication FROSH, workshops and events throughout the school year. The general meetings are a great way to meet other communication staff and students, and learn how to make the most of your undergraduate degree. 

At the CMNSU General Meeting, I wanted to learn about ways I can get more involved. In the time that I was away, I also couldn’t have applied for any team positions because those required me to attend interviews that would be conducted while I was still on the tour. Luckily, I am able to participate on the Street Team and help out with any events. Attending the meeting was a great opportunity to speak with Neena, our Communications Undergraduate Advisor. She gave us helpful advice regarding courses, our majors, and even gave us a brief yoga class to help us de-stress.

Another thing that was discussed during the meeting was the Career in Communications 2013 event that was held on March 20 at the Vancouver Art Gallery Lounge Cafe. Unfortunately I was away, but it would have been a great opportunity to meet with some industry professionals from Electronic Arts, Fleishman-Hillard, Hootsuite, Holt Renfrew, JRFM, and Tribal DDB. I may have missed this event, but it certainly does not stop me from speaking with these professionals. I am quite eager to speak with these guests, so I contacted some of them via Twitter or e-mail. They were happy to answer my questions, and some are even willing to meet up with me!

The school year is almost over, but CMNSU will be having monthly workshops over the summer. In May, there will be a personal branding workshop with Teri Conrad, a Communications, Brand, and Promotions Strategist. In June, I am excited to attend the Introduction to Public Relations workshop with Rachel Thexton, who is an Associate Partner at Dunn Public Relations. Finally, in July there is a workshop with Amanda Panes, the Promotional Coordinator for JRFM, on blogging. I am excited for these workshops because I can develop communication skills from industry professionals. Overall, it was great seeing familiar faces and Communications classmates at the meeting. I will definitely be more involved with CMNSU in the upcoming school year.