Women Leaders of the Smith School Speak at Forté MBA Women’s Leadership Conference
On June 20, two expert businesswomen from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, Elana Fine and Vice Dean Joyce E.A. Russell, discussed the importance of speaking up and asking for more at the Forté MBA Women’s Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.
Fine moderated a keynote panel on empowering women entrepreneurs.
“It only takes two seconds to ask,” said Fine, who is director of the Smith School’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. “Sometimes people are so scared that the answer is ‘no,’ but really the worst thing that can happen is the answer is ‘no.’”
Meanwhile Russell led a separate workshop on negotiation strategies for women.
“For women to break through at the top, they must succeed at negotiating,” Russell said. “Yet research shows that women are less likely than men to ask for raises, promotions and better job opportunities. When they do speak up, they do not ask for enough and are not persistent in their requests.”
The Forté Foundation is a non-profit consortium of leading companies and top business schools working together to launch women into fulfilling, significant careers through access to business education, opportunities, and a community of successful women. The Smith School joined the alliance in 2014 to provide new scholarships, events and career opportunities for women.
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Max Pulcini
Max Pulcini is a Philadelphia-based writer and reporter. He has an affinity for Philly sports teams, Super Smash Bros. and cured meats and cheeses. Max has written for Philadelphia-based publications such as Spirit News, Philadelphia City Paper, and Billy Penn, as well as national news outlets like The Daily Beast.
