Question: What does it take to be a successful female leader?

Answer: More than most students think. 

So says Susan Adams, management professor and senior director of the Center for Women and Business. 

“Most young women have an idealistic view of the world, but it’s actually very competitive," says Susan Adams, "In reality, society still puts up barriers for female professionals.” These obstacles inspired the CWB Leadership Program for Bentley female undergraduates.

The program for 2014-2015 has three components:

Workshops and Events

Cover a range of topics such as leadership presence, negotiating, communicating effectively, and strategic career planning.

Global Women’s Leadership Course

Focuses on self-assessment and the history of women in business; includes travel to Denmark and Sweden — two progressive countries with regard to women in the workplace.

Mentorship Program

Pairs undergraduates with a Bentley graduate student and a professional for guidance and workplace shadowing. There are 14 trios of undergraduates and mentors this year.

A Case in Point

Student Participant 

DYLANE JOELLE GUEDE ’16
Corporate Finance and Accounting major

“My goal is to grow into an impactful and transformational leader while remaining my authentic self. I do not want to be just one more female worker; I want raise the bar of what the corporate environment expects from women and their ability to lead in executive positions. One eye-opening moment with my graduate student mentor was realizing that small talk with the right people could open great doors. She told me about a number of conferences in Massachusetts focusing on female leadership, and advised me to follow my passion and do what I truly enjoy. My professional mentor gave valuable career advice by encouraging me to always communicate my thoughts and ideas.”

Professional Mentor

KATE FERRARA MSAIS ’02
Principal at Deloitte & Touche LLP

“I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for mentors during critical points in my life. Having an experienced person to listen and provide insight can be very helpful. Dylane and I have talked a lot about our backgrounds, and about my career path and different decisions I’ve made along the way.”

Grad Student Mentor

ALEXANDRA RAHMAN MSA ’14

“My goal as a mentor is to help Dylane identify internships and job opportunities that align with her interests, and to use my knowledge about recruiting, résumés and cover letter development to help her secure those positions. I have been struck by Dylane’s energy and excitement about working in finance.”

Bentley’s PreparedU Project identifies five skills that women need to succeed in today’s workplace. Check out the ebook: bentley.edu/millennial-women-ebook.