10:10 a.m. - 10:55 a.m.

Inspiring a Culture of Belonging: How to be an Ally

In the world we live in today, there are a few questions that are asked more often than before. What’ name do you prefer being called? How do I pronounce your name? What are your pronouns? How do you want to be addressed? We ask these questions because they are important, they allow us as individuals to be more aware and welcoming to others.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are some of the most important elements of any workforce. It is essential that organizations make the effort to represent and support employees from a wide range of backgrounds; but what happens when this support is not present in your organization? In this panel, we will discuss strategies on how to help the workforce become more diverse and inclusive as well as the steps that one can take to contribute to the goal. We will explore resources to make individuals more aware about diversity, equity and inclusion and how employees can feel comfortable and confident in their own skin and in who they are as humans and as professionals.

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Gender Representation in the Workplace: Bringing More Seats to the Table

Each person in this room has earned their spot at UMass, this conference, or in the workplace. Anyone who identifies as a woman or another underrepresented group has earned their spot at the table. We are here to celebrate that hard work and gain insight to continue to secure a “seat at the table”. Today, more than ever before, women are earning degrees at all levels, negotiating and securing salaries equal to men, and establishing long-standing careers. So why aren’t more women in leadership positions? About one fifth of women say they feel underrepresented in their gender, or are the only woman in the group they work with at their workplace. 

This panel aims at celebrating women and highlighting the importance of gender representation in the workplace. Speakers and attendees will discuss issues faced with identifying as a woman in the workplace, including the concepts of equal pay, gender bias, phrases used against women, and more. We will discuss how women can support other women in the workplace, and how others can act as allies in a multitude of settings.

Corporate Confidence: Radiating Self-Empowerment and Earning Respect

Whether it’s stepping foot into your first corporate job or climbing up the organizational ladder, change is inevitable. Women especially tend to hold back their intelligence, ideas, and perspectives in fear of stepping on a superior’s toes. Sometimes you may feel that you are not worthy of a seat at the table and have been recommended to “fake it till you make it”. However, this approach is temporary and unfavorable when you can build real, transparent self-growth. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and building self-confidence through change can be difficult, but finding your standout qualities and distinguishing yourself from your peers is crucial for success.

In Corporate Confidence: Radiating Self-Empowerment and Earning Respect, industry leaders will provide you with concrete tips on navigating your positive attributes and discovering what you are capable of bringing to the table. Panelists will present you advice on radiating confidence through body language and knowledge in your field. They will also share how they remained true to themselves and their respective opinions even in uncomfortable environments. These tools will enhance your image during interviews, networking, meetings, presentations, introductions and other professional settings.

The New Technological Landscape

Technology is embedded in our daily lives and is continuously advancing. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, technology is more prevalent than ever; conferences, schooling, and events are utilizing online alternatives. Businesses need to embrace technology to attract and maintain relationships with their customers. Taking advantage of technology is a skill that is essential to remain influential and connected.

This panel will explore how technology impact occupations in all types of fields. Panelists will address how to leverage technology in a way that is beneficial to your career whether working with future employers, peers, managers, clients or business partners. They will discuss how it has helped them navigate through the pandemic and how it has become a permanent part of their daily routines.

Processing the Finale: Taking on Transitions

Endings tend to have a negative connotation within our minds; whether it be fearing the unknown of what’s to come next or the feeling of loss. No matter where the negative feeling may come from, there is a need to adapt an acceptance towards different transitions within our lives. There is a power that comes with the positive realization that every ending presents a new beginning. The first step towards processing transitions is confronting the challenge. 

Panelists will discuss the various “endings” we face in our lifetime, whether they be expected or not. They will talk abouts the challenges leading up to these endings: including, outgrowing your surroundings, dealing with disagreement from others towards your choices, and even the fear you may have about ending a chapter in your life. Instead of letting fear hold you back, you will learn how to approach transitions positively and cultivate resilience. Panelists will teach you different practices towards building a mindset that subconsciously prepares you for any change or ending you may encounter.

1:35 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Becoming the Best You

The biggest obstacle towards living the life you dream of is you. Everyone is capable of changing the course of their life towards the direction of their goals, but the question for us all is how? This workshop will introduce a toolkit that will guide you with ease towards reaching your full potential. The key to it all is figuring out how to own yourself with confidence and putting yourself first. With this power of self awareness, you will learn to take control and be the leader of your own life.

Be Clear In Your Career: Implementing Mindfulness into your Job Search

Obstacles will consistently be a part of life. No matter who you are, you will encounter various changes and unexpected situations whether it is in your personal life, career, or academics. For example, a common obstacle everyone faces today is the COVID-19 pandemic. But, no matter what life throws at you, your mindset and your actions will determine how you overcome challenges.

In this workshop, you will discover techniques to stay mindful of your personal journey through life. You will experience the benefits of recharging yourself and connecting with others to bond over common struggles. Attend this workshop to see how your mindfulness of the present allows you to pave your way into the future.

Design Thinking: Transforming Teams

This workshop will take a look at different types of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs and how each is needed to bring great ideas to life. You’ll gain a better sense of your entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial traits, how to leverage them and how they shift over time while remaining equally valuable to the success of a business or project’s growth. We’ll also cover how each contributes to go-to-market, fundraising and career path choices.

Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives; Taking Care of You for YOU

In the ever-changing world we are living in today, it can be difficult to see the light and trust that you are on the right path. It is very important to feel grounded and comfortable in yourself and your surroundings especially during the additional adversity we are all facing: the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, a new emphasis has been put on mental health awareness as we adjust to our new and changing school, work and home circumstances. The business and professional world can be intimidating. Therefore, entering the workplace as young professionals can lead to additional stress, imposter syndrome, and an unhealthy work-life balance putting your mental health at risk. 

This workshop will aim to raise awareness of mental health, help erase the stigma surrounding it, and discuss ways to be supportive in your personal and professional environment. You will learn proactive tips and tricks to alter your habits in life to create more positive change. As well as, validating your feelings, emotions, and anxiety to help understand your mental health needs. You will also hear how to create your own support networks, develop a healthy work-life balance and say no when necessary, even when working a stressful job.

Financing Your Life After College

Brought to you by smart about money (SAM)

In Financing Your Life After College, the hosts will discuss leveraging a starting salary to budget living expenses. This workshop will strengthen your financial literacy skills in order to set you up for success. Hosts will offer strategies for saving for retirement, paying off student loans, planning for the unanticipated, and budgeting for your next big trip! You will be taken through the 50/30/20 rule which will serve as a tool to structure your personal finances. You will have a chance to set up your monthly budget and get a holistic view of your future expenses, based on the Isenberg average salary to begin building your dream life.

3:05 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

Embracing Obstacles: The Opportunity to Try Again

When a friend fails, our first instinct is to assure them that success and new opportunities are right around the corner. Yet, often in the moment we experience a personal failure, any reassurance can feel empty, as fear begins to set in. It takes resilience and courage to notice and appreciate those opportunities and find the resounding, positive side to failure. 

In the words of Mark Twain: “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” This panel will explore how to overcome the fear of failure and use those lessons to your advantage as you tackle new opportunities. Panelists will explain how they have dealt with failure in their lives and how they have gained the courage to pursue new opportunities despite it.

It’s Okay to be Undecided

“What career path do you want to pursue? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What is your dream job?” These are pressing questions college students get asked almost daily. More often than not, we do not always have everything planned out or know exactly what we want to do with our lives. Some people find themselves being persuaded into a certain path by their families or the idea of making a high salary after graduating. Other students may compare themselves to a friend or classmate who seems to have their whole life mapped out. While uncertainty is completely normal, it can be overwhelming when you are approaching the professional world.  

In “It’s Okay to be Undecided”, panelists will share their own experiences with changing up career paths at different points in their lives and talk about their journey of finding what they love to do. They will discuss challenges and hardships faced when trying to navigate their career, finding their path, and debunking myths about maintaining the same career for the rest of your life post-graduation. Panelists will provide advice and tips on how to deal with uncertainty, handle outside pressure, change your major, improve certain key skills, and find your passion. 

Defining Success

Compensation is often argued as one of the most important success symbols, leading to intense competition among young professionals. For some, wealth is truly their definition of success and is what drives them every day. However, for others, many other factors formulate their definition of success, such as job fulfillment, emotional fulfillment, location, benefits, working hours, and the social impact of the work being done. This can make it hard to accept that your success can look different from society or your friends and colleagues. This mentality forces many soon-to-be graduates to choose entry-level positions unsatisfying or overworked at the cost of their physical and emotional health. 

This panel will discuss aligning your career with your values, identifying your non-negotiables, and investing in strategic assets to maximize your efficiency while at work. Panelists will also share how they created their ideas of success, transitioned out of careers that no longer aligned with their goals, and worked towards reinventing themselves.

Investing In Yourself

The key towards achieving your personal and professional goals is learning how to invest in yourself. In a world full of change and uncertainty, the one person in your life that you can count on most is yourself. Panelists will share their experiences where they have believed in themselves while it felt like everything was rooting against them. Attendees will hear about how to handle burnout, balancing work life and personal life, and taking care of your everyday mental health. The mission of this panel is to inspire attendees to courageously take risks to benefit themselves and their careers in the long run.