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Next week is one of the coolest events offered at the University of Utah. No, it’s not a sporting event, nor is it some crazy party. It is The Women’s Leadership Summit. The Women’s Leadership Summit is an annual event that brings both community members and students together to learn about being strong, successful leaders. The event focuses on powerful women improving the greater communities through their work and leadership. I had the pleasure of attending last year and it was truly one of the most amazing experiences I have had so far my time at the U. My hope with this article is that I bring to light why not only all women on campus should attend the event but also why it is important for everyone to attend.
           When I signed up to attend last year, I had no idea what to expect. I only signed up because a friend asked me to go with her. I had no expectations for the day, but after my first workshop I never wanted it to end.  I was continually blown away by the women speaking, whether it was about their backgrounds, recent events, or simply the work that they were involved in; they were more than inspirational. It was not only amazing to learn what lead them to become the amazing leaders that they are today, but also to have them pass on their wisdom and experiences to people like myself. The Summit made me want to get more involved in leadership experiences and with other inspirational women. It led me to apply for more intensive leadership opportunities that both furthered my understanding of what it means to be a successful female leader, and also pushed me to really understand my own abilities.
I am especially encouraging people to attend this summit because of this years theme, (Im)Perfect, on Purpose. The summit is focusing on self-empowerment and improvement for personal and professional reasons rather than societies expectations. Whether that be physical or emotional improvement, the summit is focused on helping to create dynamic women who want to make themselves better simply for their own benefit. This is such a powerful and impactful theme that is so important in today’s society. With all the media pressure on forcing women to become the spitting image of perfection, learning tactics to handle the pressure of society is absolutely vital for women. Because of this, I think that both men and women should attend. Events like this summit are helping to move our society towards becoming more well-rounded and understanding, which is vital. No matter if you identify as a “feminist” or not, this event is a necessity for all females who care about self-improvement. I would highly recommend this summit for anyone, but especially women interested in becoming strong leaders.
The Women’s Leadership Summit will be held February 17th, 2016 from 2-7pm in the Union. Please follow the link below to register. This is an event that should not be missed.Â