Business school to host Young Women's Institute, aims to increase female diversity

As the Kelley School of Business prides itself in being one of the elite programs in the nation, there remains one aspect of the school that is noticeably lacking. Currently only 31 percent of the Kelley population is female and female participation in the school and other business programs continues to decline. \nIn an attempt to strive for more diversity, Kelley School of Business Dean Daniel Smith and IU have created the Young Women's Institute that began Sunday. \nThe school is the first to experiment with a business program that is designed specifically to attract women to the profession. After extensive research, 23 women from IU and seven from out of state have been selected to participate in the program that allows them to experience life as a student at a prominent business school. \n"(They) will be attending a series of seminars on business fundamentals and then applying their learnings to an actual business case that will be judged by senior executives from John Deere, the sponsor of the event," Smith said. \nThe Young Women's Institute appears to benefit not only the women that attend but IU at large. \nCarolyn Wiethoff clinical assistant professor of management and the program's faculty adviser said first and foremost "it's about exposing women to business." She said in addition these female students will get the exposure that allows them to appreciate what it takes to succeed in a major business program. \nThe other advantage of the Young Women's Institute is the insight IU will gain on how to reach female students and how to get them involved in the business world. Wiethoff said she believes that the business world is lacking female representatives because it is not necessarily family friendly and is short on female role models. \nThese are some of the stereotypes that Smith and Wiethoff said the programs hopes to erase and replace with the truth that companies need women and their viewpoints. Their way of accomplishing this feat is by using the Young Women's Institute and these women as a focus group that discovers how to attract women into the business world. \nSmith believes that well-run businesses are a positive influence not only on individuals but also the society as a whole. The Young Women's Institute is the Kelley School's way of taking the initiative of adding diversity of thought into the business world.\n"Our goal is to increase the number of women in leadership positions, and we believe that a business education from the Kelley School provides a great stepping stone," Smith said.