Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Office of Alumni Engagement hosted its second annual “Unleashing Empowerment” event on March 13. This year’s installment, entitled “Moving Forward Together: Women Educating and Inspiring Generations,” featured a panel of PNW alumnae inspiring students, faculty, staff and fellow alumni in attendance.
This year’s panelists included: Erin Cullen, BS ’99, project executive for Turner Construction: Kimberly Nagy, AS ’95, BS ’99, MS ’04, a senior healthcare consultant and owner of Kimberly Nagy Consulting; and Kim Yelich, BS ’91, a kindergarten teacher at Watson Elementary School in Schererville who also is a longtime Indiana High School Athletic Association referee. Dakita Jones, AS ’03, BS ’04, vice president of community relations at Centier Bank as well as a member of the PNW Alumni Advisory Board, moderated the panel.
Katie Holderby, director of Alumni Engagement at PNW, was excited to see the “Unleashing Empowerment” event return.
“It is Women's History Month, and we want to make sure that all of our students are aware that PNW is here to support them,” Holderby said. “This event is a perfect opportunity to highlight the triumphs and challenges that these accomplished women have experienced in the workforce. We like to put on events like this because they have something to offer everyone, whether they be alumni, students, faculty, staff, or members of the local community.”
During the event, the three panelists described their experiences studying at PNW and explained how those experiences affected their careers. They also touched on other topics, such as their respective leadership styles and how they have navigated their careers. They each described how they have overcome challenges and offered encouragement to the audience. They stressed the importance of giving yourself time to grow, being vulnerable and willing to ask for guidance when you need it, and lifting up other women whenever possible.
In Holderby’s view, the “Unleashing Empowerment” event benefits the attendees and the university as a whole in a number of ways.
“I was particularly happy to see many of our alumni come back to campus to hear from our panelists,” Holderby said. “Today’s event offered a takeaway for everyone, and I hope that our panelists as well as our guests leave feeling empowered. Hearing these amazing women’s stories makes us all feel empowered and helps us believe that we can do anything. That was the goal of this event.”
Please visit pnw.edu to stay up-to-date on Purdue University Northwest’s upcoming events.
