ABOUT
Professional Development Scholars Program is a part of the Women in Tech Initiative at Case Western Reserve University. In association with the Weatherhead School of Management, the purpose of the program is to enable the participants to succeed in their careers and further develop their leadership potential.
During the first session of the program, held on January 30, 2020, the attendees had the chance to learn about the program objectives and openly discuss issues surrounding women in organizations. According to one of the participants, the program is “a great opportunity to get exposed to different aspects of technology” and develop necessary communication skills to work towards career goals.
THE OBJECTIVES
• Facilitate the participants in developing and achieving their career goals
• Discuss the important facets of job market readiness
• Enable the participants in crafting a personal and career vision to ensure continued development
• Fortify participant knowledge about the dynamics of the workplace issues surrounding women
THE TEAM
Diana Bilimoria, KeyBank Professor and Chair of the Department of Organizational Behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University. Her research focuses on diversity in governance and leadership, and organizational transformation. Her studies have been used to facilitate the institutional transformation of research universities to become more inclusive of the success and contributions of women faculty. Other applications include the improvement of corporate and nonprofit organizational practices of selection, performance evaluation, advancement, and leadership development to attract and retain a diverse workforce.
Pooja Khatija, a doctoral student in the Department of Organizational Behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University. Her research looks at implicit biases related to gender, geography and social class in selection and recruitment processes. She has worked with graduate students in Management and Engineering as a selection and placement trainer over the past eight years.
Some of the topics that will be covered in the program include:
- Networking – What networking tactics do you need to leverage for your professional growth?
- Negotiations – When and how should you ask for a raise?
- Communication (verbal & non-verbal) – How should women manage their communication skills to convey their messages more effectively? How can they navigate perceptions around assertiveness in the workplace while owning their voice?
According to Pooja Khatija, who is actively running and developing the initiative, “this program is a very customized and focused effort that brings research and experience together” to support continuous improvement and career development for women in technology.