YWiB

4/24/2013

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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! 
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A few YWiB supporters took a photo with YWiB Vice President Michaela Klassen
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!  
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See you in September, girls!

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Stephanie Munez