On Dec. 3, West Hempstead Secondary School’s Virtual Enterprise students had the opportunity to attend the Virtual Enterprises Winning Women's Conferences at the Deloitte offices in New York City.
The Winning Women's Leadership Conference is held annually by Virtual Enterprises International LLC at various corporate locations. The Winning Women Leadership Conference is an early career development program for student leaders enrolled in the VE program. A limited number of Virtual Enterprise programs across New York State are invited to choose two female students from each school firm to attend the event. Participants engage with and learn from inspiring women in business about the skills needed to develop successful careers. Deloitte hosted the conference at their offices in the heart of New York City in partnership with representatives from Osaic Wealth Management who graciously sponsored the event.
The conference opened with welcome remarks by Tom Smith, CEO of Virtual Enterprises, who emphasized the importance of supporting women in business “as their role within executive suite departments of corporate America has increased from 17% in 2015 to 29% today.” Next, students participated in an interactive Leadership Coaching session by Amy Demchack of West Hampton Beach High School, who not only facilitates a very successful Virtual Enterprise program but also holds an MBA, worked in the financial sector right out of college, and now coaches emerging fellow business leaders. She offered tips to help students create their personal brand, business etiquette tips, positive communication, and networking strategies.
Osaic Wealth Management representative Stacy O'Keeffe, a senior vice president of engagement at the firm, delivered an impactful presentation on establishing financial independence as our young female leaders enter the workforce. Students gained valuable insight into budgeting, investing, and maximizing their income for future gain.
After lunch and networking, students heard from a panel of women leaders from various industries about their journey to success then concluded by offering students a platform to ask questions. The final portion of the afternoon was spent in breakout groups with fellow Virtual Enterprise peers to find solutions to real-world business-oriented scenarios in marketing, branding, finance, communications, and human resources. Each group then presented their solution to the audience for feedback. In addition to finding business solutions, they worked collaboratively to create a personal budget for future goals.
“This was a fulfilling day for our students and a valuable learning experience that made an immediate impact,” said Ms. Stacy Gulisano, the facilitator for West Hempstead’s Virtual Enterprise program. “One student gained valuable insight into prospective internships and creating resume-building opportunities. Another student said they were going home to start building their “personal brand” by creating a LinkedIn account to network. The insight into financial independence helped another student feel more confident about a recent college decision.”
After this event last year, Ms. Gulisano’s students were so inspired by the Mastercard Tech Hub offices that they wanted to remodel their classroom to resemble their collaborative workspace. They presented their idea to Principal Mr. Joseph Pumo, for a possible classroom remodel grant.
