Arkansas State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs collaborated with Career Services to host Women in the Workplace. An event hosted every year during Women’s History Month meant to showcase women in a variety of fields, it featured six panelists from business, education, healthcare and media careers. 

The event began with a presentation by Taylor Rowland, a university recruiter and JaKyra Stewart, an L5 area manager, both who work for Amazon. They provided advice regarding developing a LinkedIn profile, building a résumé and working in a leadership role. 

In addition, the pair emphasized that before an interview, an interviewee should research their desired company and utilize certain buzzwords during it. They also stated that people in leadership positions need to be able to foster an environment for learning and growth. 

“They don’t want to see a manager, they want to see somebody that can actually lead them, guide them, engage with them, help them resolve their problems, find the answers, help them figure it out for themselves,” Stewart said.

After a break for dinner, the panelists were invited to speak. 

The panelists provided general career advice. They stated that learning to say “no” and taking time for oneself was incredibly important and spoke about how they got into their current career positions. This served to showcase what certain qualifications are needed for each respective field. In addition, the panelists provided a personal experience for maintaining motivation.

“Going into underprivileged neighborhoods and having patients see a provider that looks (like them) is really heartwarming. It motivates me to keep going because I know how important that can be,” said Megan Knowling, a licensed EMT and senior interdisciplinary studies major who served as one of the panelists. 

They also spoke about experiences unique to women and gave tips regarding working in male-dominated fields. Kara Richey, host of the radio show Workday Redzone, said that young women shouldn’t beat themselves up if they make a mistake, but rather they should learn from it and grow. They stressed the importance of confidence and having good communication skills.

Dr. Kim Wilbanks, superintendent of the Jonesboro Public Schools, said that any time a new opportunity presents itself, a young leader should go after it and see where that path takes them. 

Students at the event said seeing women in the workplace was empowering as they haven’t seen many and enjoyed the advice the panelists gave. Kaylee Middleton, a freshman elementary education major from Jonesboro, said she liked that the panelists discussed assertiveness in the workplace. 

“It definitely helps young women be able to see representation in a variety of fields that they’re very interested in, and seeing someone in their experiences and how they got to where they are is really empowering,” said Nora Bouzihay, assistant director of Multicultural Affairs. 

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