Empowering Women From the Classroom to the Boardroom

Photo from The Quench.

A newly published study by Microsoft and KRC Research has shown that girls around the age of fifteen rapidly lose interest in pursuing STEM education and career paths. Let’s raise a generation of women for whom entering STEM is not the niche, but rather the status quo. Let’s be inspired by this incoming generation of women who wield technology and creativity as their superpowers and let’s be prepared to support them with enthusiasm, and prove that the sky’s the limit.

Here at theBoardlist we focus on assisting women who are already leaders in their fields; however, we know that empowering women has to begin much earlier on. Many are asking themselves and those around them, “where are the women?” when it comes to board elections and C-suite level appointments. Additionally, we should also ask ourselves the more fundamental question, “what can we do to raise the next generation of women qualified for these positions?”

Supporting women from a young age can have positive effects. When we believe in and cultivate talent from a young age, there are ripple effects on society at large. Take for example, Taarini Dang, who is your unusual entrepreneur because she is 14 years old and has already founded several ventures including her own VC fund, Dang Capital, that invests in women under 22 and has already raised $100k. Her book, The Young Aspiring Entrepreneur, explores the many different gender and age barriers that she faces as a young and female entrepreneur. She hopes to inspire her peers and reassures those who are older that young entrepreneurs deserve a seat at the table as well.

Taarini’s success is a reminder that strong and qualified women do not come out of nowhere. They come from strong communities that believe they have intrinsic value and are willing to invest in them. Looking for ways to raise the next generation of leaders and board members?

Here are just a few ideas:

1. Read Taarini’s book, The Young Aspiring Entrepreneur.
2. Share the work of young girls and women you admire. Once you promote their work, you show that their work has value and as a whole, you elevate them.
3. Check out and support organizations that are dedicated to empowering girls pursuing tech and entrepreneurship: Girls Who Code, Black Girls Who Code, Latina Girls Who Code, Step Up, and The Startup Squad, BUILTBYGIRLS are just a few examples.

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About theBoardlist

theBoardlist is a curated talent marketplace that connects highly qualified women leaders with opportunities to serve on private and public company boards. Starting with the technology industry and now expanded across many verticals, theBoardlist offers public and private companies a platform to accelerate opportunities for women to achieve at the highest levels. Follow theBoardlist on Twitter @theBoardlist.