WT’s Engler College of Business to Host Women’s Business Leadership Event

Copy by Gina Woodward, 806-651-5151, gwoodward@wtamu.edu

Contact Chip Chandler for media inquiries, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

WT’s Engler College of Business to Host Women’s Business Leadership Event

CANYON, Texas — In recognition of Global Entrepreneurship Week, the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business at West Texas A&M University will host a Women Leaders in Business event.

The event will celebrate women in business and provide access to successful women in business for students who may be considering entrepreneurship and business in their own futures.

Women Leaders in Business will run from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Nov. 15 in Legacy Hall inside the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on the WT campus. The event is free and open to the public. For information, visit wtsbdc.com/womeninbusiness.

Presented by departments in WT’s Engler College of Business, America’s SBDC at WTAMU and the WT Enterprise Center, successful women business owners will take part in a fireside chat with Gina Woodward, SBDC regional director, to tell their stories of entrepreneurship, discuss obstacles overcome, and reveal how business ownership allows them to positively impact their communities.

Attendees will meet and have a chance to ask questions of a trio of business owners: Amelia Balderrama, CEO and president of iDocket.com; Colette Lane, co-founder of Ruthette’s Bridal; and Mindi McLain, partner with Wright Law TX and real estate investor.

“The women on this stage together have a collective vision of the future that’s a world where their daughters and nieces are a force to be reckoned with—in business or whatever careers they might choose,” Woodward said. “Their message for students is one that encourages them to take business and life head on, knowing that they have the support to succeed.”

Audiences will be motivated, said Dr. Amjad Abdullat, dean of the Engler College of Business.

“Inspiring students to be successful leaders in entrepreneurship and business today, and not waiting for anyone’s permission, is at the heart of our mission to serve them,” Abdullat said. “Our graduates are uniquely equipped to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. They graduate with existing skills learned through hands-on experiences with small businesses through the College of Business and more importantly, a network of other entrepreneurial students and experienced business owners to support their endeavors.”

Economic development and the success of the Texas Panhandle as a region are key principles of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021 — has raised more than $110 million.

About the WT Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business

The Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business is accredited at both the undergraduate and graduate level by the AACSB International–The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the highest accrediting body for business colleges in the world. The Computer Information Systems program in the Engler College of Business is accredited by ABET in the area of computing accreditation. Fewer than 40 business schools hold both AACSB and ABET accreditation. ABET accreditation is the highest standard for computing proof that a collegiate program has met standards essential to produce graduates ready to enter the critical fields of applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. The COB has reach national accolades with programs ranked in the top 50 Best Online MBA by eight different national programs including U.S. News & World Report and Fortune. Recently the COB was recognized as No. 19 Best Online MBA Program by The Princeton Review and No. 24 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs by U.S. News & World Report. To learn more about the Engler College of Business, visit wtamu.edu/cob or call 806-651-2530.

About America’s SBDC at WTAMU

America’s SBDC at WTAMU provides professional business consulting, training, and research in all areas of business management and finance. Operating as a department of the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business at West Texas A&M University, the SBDC works alongside its sister department, the WT Enterprise Center, to support entrepreneurs and small business owners across the Texas Panhandle. Most programs and services are provided at no cost through an arrangement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and State of Texas. To learn more about America’s SBDC at WTAMU, visit wtsbdc.com, email info@wtsbdc.com, or call 806-651-5151.

About WT Enterprise Center

The WT Enterprise Center is a department of the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business at West Texas A&M University. WTEC provides Panhandle entrepreneurs business coaching, access to facilities, capital, and additional trainings and programs to assist them in scaling their companies. WTEC works side-by-side with its sister department, America’s SBDC at WTAMU, to support businesses throughout the Texas Panhandle. WTEC also provides opportunities for business students to intern in local businesses, where they learn first-hand about the hard work and dedication entrepreneurs must have to be successful. To learn more about the WT Enterprise Center, visit wtenterprisecenter.com, email info@wtenterprisecenter.com, or call 806-651-8500.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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