Alumni and Friends Making an Impact

Every college student fears the unknowns of life after graduation — how to create the perfect resume, find a job, negotiate salaries and so on. However, thanks to donor funds from One Day, One Dayton, students who attend the Women’s Leadership Immersion find answers to these questions and the confidence to face their next steps alongside a supportive network of female leaders.

The Women’s Leadership Immersion program is for juniors and seniors focused on developing critical skills as they prepare for life after graduation. The program is facilitated by female leaders from across the University and the city of Dayton. Students learn through various sessions, panels and speakers, and are provided space to build relationships, ask questions and lean on each other for support.

And thanks to gifts made to the Student Development Fund for Excellence during last year’s One Day, One Dayton, this invaluable experience continues to be available to students at no cost.

Chelsea Rooney, assistant director of Student Leadership Programs at the Center for Student Involvement, explained that the immersion program provides a critical space for female students to learn how to use and embrace their individual voices. “I don’t think that there are a lot of spaces where women get that, and there are not a lot of spaces where students on campus can spend 40 hours devoted to their professional development at an intersection with one of their identities,” she said.

Senior Ikram Hennaoui said that the experience is like no other on campus.

“We talk about such sensitive topics that really opened our eyes to other perspectives and helped us to get to know each other,” she shared. “Plus, it’s just really, really fun.”

Throughout the two-day retreat at the beginning of the program, students have the opportunity to hear from women within the Dayton community. Attendees have included business owners, city commissioners, professors and other leaders like former mayor Nan Whaley ’98. In addition to listening to a keynote speaker and various panels, students also hone in on tough topics in small group sessions. Topics have included themes such as leadership, networking, career advancement and financial health.

“Although we’re learning a lot and it’s very educational, you can ask questions and use your voice. It’s a place to be vulnerable and feel like you’re learning something instead of just being lectured about it,” said Hennaoui.

In addition to the speakers and sessions, students also have the opportunity to network and explore the community. The cohorts have meals together, mingle and network with prominent women from Dayton, and even visit small businesses in Dayton’s Oregon District as a group.

“It was really cool to get to explore some hidden gems and to bond with the girls in my group,” shared Jada Wamsley ’23. “We were focused on women and leadership, but it was also nice to casually hang out with them and spend time together.”

Thanks to the financial support of alumni, parents and friends during One Day, One Dayton, the immersion program continues to make an impact by providing the same high quality to larger cohorts each year. According to the program’s assessment data, out of 202 student alumni, 100% would recommend the program to a friend.

“We are incredibly proud of that recommendation rate, because not only does that mean that our current participants have gotten something from this, but it means that they want the other people in their lives to get something from this,” shared Rooney.

The Women’s Leadership Immersion is the first time many female students on campus have attended leadership training facilitated solely by women, and the skills they take away have proven to be extremely valuable. Wamsley was able to utilize the skills she learned from the immersion immediately, negotiating a higher salary at her internship. And Hennaoui secured an internship for her senior year after networking at the retreat.

“We've had seniors tell us that after four or five years, this has been the highlight of their University experience,” said Rooney. “This program continues to thrive and is so essential to our campus, thanks to the donors. We have the capability to make necessary changes and continue to make a high impact because of their generosity.”