Her Campus Kent State held their very own Girl Boss Panel on March 1, 2021. The panel was held to get industry professionals’ advice and perspective on entering the workforce. They were also there to inspire us as students going forward. This panel consisted of five inspiring girl bosses with all different backgrounds and expertise.
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Maddie Hiatt is the Social Media Manager of Her Campus. She graduated in 2018 from Drake University where she studied Magazine Journalism and Graphic Design. She is based in New York City. You will either her find scrolling through Instagram, trying a new skincare product or talking about anything related to pop-culture. Her Instagram can be found here.
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Mindy Paradise is a member of Kent State University’s faculty where she teaches a business course in the Fashion School. Paradise also is the principal of her company where she and subject-matter-experts use educational strategies to facilitate business growth particularly with start-up and mid-size companies. Before joining Kent State’s faculty, she was the Department Chair of Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing at a private college. Prior to this, she has experience buying and product development for corporations such as Target, Estee Lauder, Gap and Coldwater Creek. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Merchandising and in Business Management. Along with a Master of Education degree in Higher Education Curriculum Design and Delivery. Another role she has had that has helped with her career is Program Director of Fashion Group International, Retail Advisor and Business Mentor.
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Dana White is the founder of FFI (Female Filmmakers Initiative) here at Kent State. She is an Assistant Professor in MDJ where she teaches Scriptwriting, Directing and Producing. Not only is she the founder of FFI and an assistant professor, she is also a writer, director, producer, editor and actor. She has also won numerous awards for her work. White received her MFA from The University of California Riverside for Screenwriting and Writing for the Performing Arts.
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Ashley Stock is the Director of Programming and Clinical Operations at Providence House Inc. where she oversees the Crisis Nursery and Pediatric Crisis Nursery and clinical programming. Providence House is a crisis nursery that protects at-risk children and supports families through crisis, strengthening communities to end child abuse and neglect in the Ohio City neighborhood. Stock obtained her undergraduate degree in Human Services from Elon University in North Carolina in 2005 and earned her Master’s Degree in social work from Case Western Reserve University in 2007. She has been a Licensed Independent Social Worker since 2010. Stock obtained her Training Supervision Designation. She has been with Providence House since 2010 and has enjoyed teaching and mentoring graduate students through fieldwork Stock has devoted her career to Providence House, specializing in providing services to those who have experienced trauma, focusing on healing and resiliency.
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Kathleen Clyde is a former member of the Ohio House of Representatives where she served from 2011 to 2018. During her time in the House she fought for women and their rights. She sponsored the Ohio Equal Pay Act for three straight general assemblies and held hearings on the unprecedented attacks on women’s reproductive healthcare that slipped into various state budget bills. In 2018, she was the Democratic nominee for Ohio Secretary of State, garnering over 2 million votes in her first run for statewide office. She has been a Portage County Commissioner since 2018.
Each panelist entered their field from all diverse backgrounds and training. White believes that the film industry found her, not the other way around. Hiatt found her “why” over the summer through the rise of social justice work on social media.
Paradise’s key ideas for success include: networking, having mentors of all ages and experience levels and being reliable. Having mentors of all ages gives the opportunity for all opinions to be heard, not just one group of people. This helps get rid of bias that can come from only having mentors from one group of people from one place. Also, you do not know what types of opinions or background people have to help with a product. You could be needing advice and go to someone that does not relate to the point you are trying to make. Having diversity in the people you surround yourself with can give new perspectives and experiences.
Networking and making connections will help you land jobs. 70% of jobs are not found online, they are found through networking. If you have a job that you really want, reach out to those who work there and make your name known. Show interest in the job and have knowledge of the company and what the job entails.
It was mentioned that some of the panelists have given job opportunities to those who respond fast and are reliable. You do not have to be the best at the job, because the best person may not seem interested. In the long run, you want someone who is eager to do the job rather than someone who feels like they are doing you a favor.
Also, no one is entitled to give you time or talk to you. Rejection may hurt, but that will happen for any job and position. It is all a part of the game of life that we play.
Advice that I got was to make yourself known. If you want a job or an internship at a company, talk to someone at the company. It does not have to be for the position you want or are applying for, but getting the inside scoop and feel will make you stand out and give you a better idea of what the job entails. It does not matter if you are a small fish in a big pond, make yourself known. This ranges from local to national jobs. Just because it is a bigger job does not mean that there is not a chance.
The Girl Boss Panel was such an insightful event to attend and I hope there are more to come. You never know what story every person has and what knowledge they can share with you.