Celebrating the 1st Year of the KS WEL Institute!

On September 24th, We celebrated the first birthday of the Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute! Even in just one short year, the Institute has made an incredible impact enacting significant change by empowering the next generation of courageous and creative female leaders and entrepreneurs.

The Institute is not like any other. While confronting the obstacles that women face by empowering them to advocate for themselves and other women, it creates an open, creative, innovative, and empowering environment. The Institute's goals of diversity and inclusion build the foundation of a community that empowers all who interact with it while building opportunities for women to lead and own businesses. The outreach spreads across the 40 acres and beyond through the voices of all who are involved in empowering women to lead while encouraging the world to follow.

Through students' stories already impacted by the KS WEL Institute, we want to celebrate this groundbreaking Institution and its first year!

Jacqueline Giang 21'

The Kendra Scott WEL Institute is so unique and one of its kind. Through the workshops and events, I have learned the value of my own voice and the importance of personal branding. I love that the KS WEL Institute is a supportive and inclusive community built by students. The Kendra Scott WEL Institute taught me that growth is uncomfortable, and failures are only learning opportunities. I am excited for the future and for everyone to see what we are doing here at the Kendra Scott WEL Institute!

Rashu Jain 22'

The Kendra Scott WEL Institute opened right as I realized there was a huge gap for self-identifying women and non-binary individuals on campus to have a space to explore entrepreneurship. When I heard about the KS WEL Institute, I was BEYOND ecstatic. I was working on a similar project at the time to combat mentorship along with other women in Genesis, and the KS WEL Institute has been such a huge help since then. I did not realize there were so many talented individuals interested in entrepreneurship until I started attending KS WEL Institute events and seeing the impact on student entrepreneurs. People would come to us asking if we could provide advice for their startup, or that they did not know where to go to find resources. The Kendra Scott WEL Institute helped bridge those gaps, and that has been one of the main reasons why I am so passionate and will continue to be so passionate to push this Institute forward. My favorite memory is when we had our first Student Advisory Board meeting. Seeing 30+ other empowering individuals, all on one call, got me SO stoked for this upcoming year. We all shared a bit about ourselves, and I loved seeing the diversity of backgrounds on the team. We started off by naming three influential people in our lives, and for a change, almost all the answers I heard were women. That's the power that the KS WEL Institute has!

Katelyn Roy 24'

The Kendra Scott WEL Institute provided a home for me to transform myself from high school to college, virtually, of course! The most enjoyable moment was my first board meeting when we were staring at each other on our small screens while we introduced ourselves, wondering who everyone is. Honestly, I felt uncomfortable saying that I was an incoming freshman because I knew that I was the only one. I saw the rest of the board members just smiling, which made me smile and second guess why I was second-guessing myself. These women are an inspiration to me. I cherish each virtual encounter from an important board meeting or game night. I am just always so excited and ready for a new task. And as for my Social Media Team, those are some fearless women, and I greatly appreciate working hard to publicize our motto and Institute together. Being with this team has taught me new ideas that I can't begin to try to fit in a blog comment. Every aspect and experience are impeccable. As a young black woman in college, I appreciate the support and the opportunity to reciprocate the support by making art.

Jessica Sutherland 21'

As I ran across the Texas Performing Arts Center's pavement to get to the Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Kick off on 9/24, I did not realize how large an impact this Institution would have on my life in only one year. I have met amazing women who have shown me what I aspire to be. I remember each KS WEL Institute event vividly because, from each interaction, I would walk away with a feeling that I could tackle any challenge. I felt empowered to achieve my goals by seeing other women who have dedicated their lives to achieve their own goals and passions. I have honestly never been in an environment like the KS WEL Institute filled with the same level of learning, support, and diversity. In its one year, this Institute has impacted so many lives by bringing people together to empower women to advocate for themselves and overcome any obstacles that they face. I cannot wait to see what this Institute can achieve after seeing what it has accomplished in only one year. Happy Birthday Kendra Scott WEL Institute!

Eva Tirion 21'

I joined the WEL Institute about three weeks ago as the new Programs & Events Intern, and so far, I am loving all of it! I was drawn to the KS WEL Institute because I am deeply passionate about empowering women and working towards equal opportunity, and I believe that using community and inclusivity to achieve these goals is unique and invaluable. Right now, we are working towards our first annual Women's Summit to bring together students and founders for a day of inspiration, empowerment, and networking! No matter the event, I love the KS WEL Institute because its goal is for each student to feel empowered, celebrated among a vibrant and diverse community, and equipped with the important tools and resources to excel in your career.

The Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute's mission is to strengthen the next generation of courageous, creative female leaders that will change the world – in business and beyond. Throughout this year, the KS WEL Institute has begun to build the foundation that will advocate for women and capture an environment of diversity and inclusion as it embarks on this second year. We look forward to seeing you at our next events and helping us build this incredible and empowering community! Leave a comment below about your favorite memory of the KS WEL Institute's first year and remember to be BOLD!