“Empowering female leaders!”
When asked to describe OWN IT at UC Davis, occurring this Saturday, April 6th, in three words, co-director Carly Smith described it this way.
OWN IT at UC Davis was started in 2017 by Disha Bahi in hopes to “encourage young women towards jobs they might not think are within their reach.” It is no secret that young women are underrepresented in leadership positions (only 6 percent of CEOs are women; only 19 percent of members of Congress are women), and OWN IT is here to change these numbers through role modeling, networking, advice, and making connections.
Preparations for this year’s OWN IT began immediately after 2018’s summit (talk about dedication!), and the group behind the event has been in full swing, with help from their collaborative organization, Davis Women in Business.
With over 40 speakers prepared to network and answer questions, attendees of OWN IT will have a vast variety of fields to hear about: tech, media, health, law, business, and more!
Someone attendees can look forward to hearing is keynote speaker Laurie Watkins. Watkins had the opportunity to work for the Obama campaign in both 2008 and 2012, and currently is an active partner of the Truman National Security Project, a member of California Women Lead and Women in Aerospace, and a recognized expert in wellness, food security, disaster response, national security, and expanding education and opportunities for young women and girls. Umm… YES!
Although this is only OWN IT’s third year here at UC Davis, the impact on attendees has been fantastic! Attendees have been able to connect, get interviews, and even get internships after networking with the speakers present. Co-Director Carly Smith expresses that she “hope[s] that OWN IT will encourage Davis students to pursue careers that might be out of their reach.” Sometimes you truly never know everything you are capable of!
Those who attend OWN IT will also have the pleasure of getting AMAZING goody bags (free stuff? YAS!), with previous years baggies including Dutch Bros coupons, girl power stickers, gummy snacks, etc.!
OWN IT at UC Davis takes place this Saturday 04/06 and all the powerful womxn in attendance can expect to leave with inspiration, contact information from amazing womxn, and some amazing swag!
What are you waiting for? Click here to purchase tickets for this one of a kind event and follow the event on Facebook!
Photos courtesy of OWN IT at UC Davis.