UTICA – Female students from SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) Thursday met one-on-one with female community leaders throughout the Mohawk Valley at the “Women Who Mean Business” speed-networking event hosted at Hage & Hage Law and Consulting LLC in Utica. 

Nearly 20 women from public and private sector industries offered mentorship, insight, and networking opportunities to the students at the second annual event with the goal of teaching the value of female collaboration and inspiring a new generation of female leaders after their graduation from SUNY Poly.   

“We are extremely fortunate to have an abundance of dynamic female entrepreneurs, business, academic, and community leaders here in the Mohawk Valley who are eager to help cultivate personal and professional growth in our female SUNY Poly students,” said SUNY Poly Interim President Dr. Grace Wang. “Whether it’s a female student preparing for a career in a STEM-related field, a business major, or a student pursuing any other area of study, the information she takes away from today’s event will be useful for a lifetime of success.” 

The idea for the event, sponsored by Hage & Hage Law and Consulting LLC, Nascentia Health, the Bank of Utica, and the SUNY Poly Foundation, came from SUNY Poly Foundation Board Member Heather Hage after realizing the need for an environment to specifically reach female students and ensure they have the opportunity to create a network of like-minded professionals.

“As a woman in leadership, I know that my own vision and view of my potential was heavily influenced by the women by whom I have been fortunate to be inspired—family members, classmates, colleagues and friends,” said Hage. We created this event to provide an environment in which female leaders of all ages and stages of professional development have the opportunity to make new connections and inspire each other to believe, and achieve, our greatest potential.”

Keynote speakers included Dr. Wang; SUNY Poly Assistant Vice President of Development Andrea LaGatta; and Juliana Santucci, a senior Business Administration major who attended the event in 2018. 

“Connecting with the ladies at last year’s ‘Women Who Mean Business’ event left me with essential advice as a college student preparing for what I would do after graduation,” said Juliana Santucci, a senior Business Administration major at SUNY Poly who spoke at Thursday’s event. “This event was a jumpstart to intentionally begin building my resume. For me, this meant seeking an internship, and the ladies encouraged me and guided me to do so. I landed an internship last May and have been with the same company since.”