The fourth annual Power of Women luncheon and expo will be held on Wednesday, March 11 in the Show Me Center. The event works to connect female Southeast students with professional women in the community.
An expo, featuring local businesses, community groups and various campus organizations, will be held from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., followed by a luncheon. The event is sponsored by the Southeast Missouri State University Foundation, Southeast's Department of Athletics and Student Government.
Amanda Lincoln is with the university foundation and she says that the event has continued to grow each year and organizers have seen more support from the community and from students on campus. Lincoln serves on the Power of Women Committee and said that the event is designed to help students learn networking skills and to find a mentor and be inspired.
Danielle Brockes, a student at Southeast, also serves on the Power of Women Committee and says she believes the event is important for students. She served as an ambassador for the Power of Women in 2014 and benefited from making numerous connections and took advantage of the many networking opportunities available at the event.
The guest speaker this year is Karla Bakersmith, a 1981 graduate of Southeast. Bakersmith is founder and CEO of Scrubs & Beyond, a 30 store chain she started in 2000. The company helps hospitals and other medical entities facilitate dress code changes and is the largest retailer of medical apparel, shoes and medical accessories in the country. Lincoln says that Bakersmith is a great example for female students at Southeast and someone they can look to and be inspired by.
The proceeds from the Power of Women Luncheon go into the Power of Women Scholarship fund for female students at Southeast. The group was able to endow a scholarship this year which means it will be around every year for students. Anyone from the community is able to give to the fund to help support the effort.
When asked about the impact the event has on students, Brockes said, "It was really great to see an event that was focused and tailored to what we were looking for. We were looking for mentors, role models in the community that show us we can be successful and that what we're doing is worth something."
More information about the Power of Women is available by calling the Southeast Missouri University Foundation at (573) 651-2252.
