PSP Mentor and Board Member Terryl Martin recently took the scholars she mentors to Mount Saint Mary’s University Women’s Leadership Conference. Read Terryl’s post to learn more about how she helped the girls take full advantage of this conference and to read the girls’ own perspective on this empowering event. 

As a mentor for the Partnership Scholars Program I try to think of some different, outside the box, activities to expose the scholars to over six years. Recently, I took my three high school (juniors) scholars to the Mount Saint Mary’s University Women’s Leadership Conference.

We all attended the opening, closing, and Financial Fitness sessions. However, each scholar attended other separate sessions during the conference schedule so that all of the events were covered and when they shared their article we could learn about the sessions we didn’t attend.

As a part of the event they each wrote an article about their experiences and they were also required to meet someone at each session they attended and get their contact information/business card.

Valeria writes in her essay “As a female leader in my community I have found that it can become difficult to find a healthy balance between self-care and my responsibilities.” Read here to see how Valeria found meaning through attending this conference.

Jessica writes about one “empowering woman who shared with us her morning and afternoon routines that we can follow to aid in our health and body care.” Read more about Jessica’s thoughts on the conference here. 

As Katherine writes in her essay about how she experienced this conference, “…it isn’t just about surviving, it’s about overcoming and healing.” Read more from Katherine here. 

We all attended the opening, closing, and Financial Fitness sessions. However, each girl attended other separate sessions during the conference schedule so that all of the events were covered and when they shared their article we could learn about the sessions we didn’t attend.

Prior to the event, I created a “conference bag” for the girls.  It included a tote bag, business cards I made with their name and email address, personal note cards I made for them to use for their follow up notes to some of the people they met at the conference, a journal for note taking, and pens with inspirational messages.

When we arrived at the campus, it was beautiful and picturesque atop the hill.  We were able to interact with past and present students during the event.  Walking the buildings, the hallways were filled with information about student activities and opportunities for participation on campus.  The scholars took note of the college life experience.  One expressed interest in possibly attending the University.  They are looking forward to visiting more college campus as they prepare to make decisions about what colleges they’ll attend.

This event was a great opportunity for the scholars to practice their speaking, handshaking, writing skills, discover ideas about careers, self-care, and what actions they can start to take now to be financially fit in the future and expose PSP to new advocates.  We appreciated the opportunity to participate.