The College of Communication and Information (CCI) hosted its 11^th Annual Women in Leadership (WIL) Conference on March 5, 2024. The conference brings in local female leaders to host an audience of students, faculty, alumni, and the local community with a goal to inspire, learn and engage.

The conference included 47 female leaders who spoke in panels covering a variety of topics. There were also over 275 attendees who joined in efforts of gaining knowledge and connections from the event.

Abbey Hale (left) joins Ranata Hughes (right) on panel.  “During the majority of my years as an undergraduate/graduate student in Communication, I attended this conference to listen to and engage with the inspiring women who always so bravely took the stage to share their stories and experiences with those of us who hoped to follow in their footsteps. Back then, I never would have imagined that one day I’d be up there too,” said speaker and School of Communication (SCOM) alumna, Abbey Hale, who presented on the panel “How to Create an Effective Resume & LinkedIn.”

IT student Catherine Marshall felt empowered after the event. “The women who lead and attend this conference portray what it means to be a community,” Marshall said. “Everyone is there to learn, grow, and help others which always leaves me feeling uplifted.”

MSIT student Tazmeen Alam added, “These events can help women recognize their own worth, connect with other inspiring women, build their network, and establish their brand in a positive and supportive space. I can proudly say that I walked into this conference as one person and emerged as another.”

The event brought the community together, leaving many walking out with advice obtained, connections made, and smiles on their faces. The conference is all about women leaders sharing their experiences to provide inspiration to others, personally and professionally.

From left to right: Catherine Marshall, Tazmeen Alam, Stacci Smith, Maggie Martin-McKinnie

“Being at the Women in Leadership Conference has given me the opportunity to hear amazing things from empowering women in various fields about different topics, such as creating your LinkedIn and building your wealth,” IT student Stacci Smith said. “This conference has also helped me connect with other amazing women leaders within the Tallahassee area.”

IT student Maggie Martin-McKinnie shared, “I gained a sense of community. I realized how willing to help everyone in those rooms are, and that made me excited to work with some of the women that I met on projects in the future.”

Ebe Randeree, Associate Dean at CCI, was a big part in coordinating WIL. “This is an effort from the College that started a long time ago when we were connecting our students with mentors. It started with about 5 mentors and 10 students in a small room in 2008,” Randeree said. “After a few years of it growing, the College wanted to create something more organized and structured. Now this is the eleventh year of the conference, and we get about 300 attendees.  At least half of the speakers are alumnae of the college, and more than half are FSU alumnae. Speakers connected with students and community members, they connect with each other, and they connect back with the university, creating lifelong connections and success.”

We want to thank all the amazing speakers and panelists, attendees, and student volunteers for making the conference a huge success!

To see more from the 2024 WIL Conference, check out the photos and video.