Pennsylvania Conference for Women Scholarship Recap

Sharmila Nadkarni-Gidh

This year, I had the opportunity to attend the Pennsylvania Conference for Women in Philadelphia on November 7th, 2024. This was my first time attending this conference and what made it even more special was that I was the recipient of the WICT Greater Philadelphia - PA Conference for Women Scholarship.

Power in Unity:

I decided to apply for the scholarship as I was intrigued by the theme for this year’s conference – “Power in Unity.” I wanted to experience a day of learning, kinship, networking, and motivation. When I reviewed the agenda, I was impressed by the lineup of keynote speakers, including Emmy-winning actor and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, athlete Robin Arzón, author and swimmer Diana Nyad, lifestyle influencer Martha Stewart, and Philadelphia’s first woman mayor, Cherelle Parker.

This year’s theme emphasized the importance of unity, resilience, and empowerment. The influential keynote speakers and panelists shared their stories of struggle and resilience and narrated how they overcame the hardships and setbacks through persistence, perseverance, and support from their loved ones. The experiences shared by these powerful women inspired me to reflect and seek inspiration for my personal growth. Some key takeaways for me were that women should have the courage to pivot in their personal or professional life. We should feel empowered and worthy of any new opportunity that comes our way and even create new opportunities for ourselves. We should ask ourselves “Why not me?” and take a leap of faith into any new endeavors. The first step is always the hardest and the rest falls into place if we follow our passion. We should motivate ourselves and others to take that first step. I am certain that all the attendees (approximately 10,000) at the conference were motivated by the speakers for their own growth and betterment.

Breakout Sessions:

In addition to the keynote speeches, there were various breakout sessions that covered topics such as leadership development, entrepreneurship, physical and mental well-being, financial awareness/planning, and work-life balance. This was also a fantastic opportunity to connect with women from diverse industries and backgrounds.

All the sessions I attended provided excellent insights into a variety of topics. However, my favorite session was “Unlocking the Power of AI.” It was a panel discussion by women leaders who encouraged the audience to be curious, stay engaged and educated in the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence. I am convinced that we all need to stay abreast of this innovative technology. Although it is in its early stages, artificial intelligence (AI) is integrated into our lives in numerous ways. It is in our best interest to acknowledge that it will soon be embedded in our lives, and we need to embrace it to stay relevant. Be it the field of education, creative art, engineering, medicine or entrepreneurship, AI will be omnipresent. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT have already revolutionized our world and brought AI to the forefront.

Women-Owned Retailers:

What is a women’s conference without the joy of shopping!

There were several women-owned businesses on-site, each offering a diverse range of products for sale – clothing, jewelry, beauty and health products, handmade arts/crafts, and much more. It was heartwarming to learn that a few of them were donating part of the proceeds from the sales to charity/causes supporting underprivileged women. In addition to shopping, the attendees enjoyed additional amenities like massages and hairstyling, which was a fun way to spend part of a day packed with energizing activities.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to WICT Greater Philadelphia for awarding me the scholarship that enabled me to attend this invigorating event. It was a day of enrichment, networking, and invaluable insights from women leaders and professionals. I look forward to attending the conference again in the future.