C200 Reachout for women's business leadership to be held at Wayne State April 7

The Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business will host a C200 Reachout for women business students and alumni on Friday, April 7, 2017. This is the first Reachout to be hosted in the state of Michigan; the theme is "The Motor City: Women at the Wheel." Up to three $10,000 C200 Scholar Awards will be awarded to women M.B.A. students at this event.

The Committee of 200, or C200, is an international network of some of the world's top women corporate executives and entrepreneurs. C200's 400+ members represent more than 100 industries in North America and throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The primary mission of C200 and its foundation is to fund, create and implement programs to inspire, support, foster, celebrate and advance future generations of women business leaders.

Panelists from C200 and the Detroit community attending the April 7 Reachout include: 

  • Florine Mark, Chair, The WW Group Inc.
  • Denise Ilitch, President of Ilitch Enterprises
  • Pam Craig, Former COO, Accenture; Chair, The Committee of 200 Foundation
  • Mindi Fynke, President & CEO, EHIM Inc.
  • Janet C. Muhleman, President, re:group inc
  • Jill Hebert, CEO/Owner, Matrix Exhibits
  • Sandra E. Pierce, Chair, Huntington Michigan; Senior Executive Vice President, Huntington National Bank
  • Terri Chapman, CEO, MNP Corporation
  • Luanne Thomas Ewald, CEO, Children's Hospital of Michigan
  • Jane Warner, Board of Directors, Tenneco, Regal Beloit, and Brunswick Corporation
  • Lisa Pollina, Former Vice Chairman, Royal Bank of Canada
  • Terry Barclay, President and CEO, Inforum Center for Leadership
  • Susan E. Burns, Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs, Wayne State University; President, Wayne State University Foundation
  • Anne Doyle, Author, Speaker, Leader
  • Julie Pearl, CEO and Founder, Pearl Law Group; Chair and Co-Founder, Tracker Corporation
  • Donna Couch, Owner and Principal, Couch Consultants
  • Mary Stevens, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, Herman Miller Inc.
  • Angela Brown, President & CEO, Moneris Solutions
  • Jori Hartwig, Vice President, Inforum Center for Leadership; Director, Mediafast Inc.

Female Wayne State business students and alumni are invited to the intensive April 7 Reachout, at which C200 members will seek to demonstrate the value of pursuing a career in business to young women who may not have made their initial career decisions. Panels and roundtable discussions will be aimed at demonstrating the positive aspects of a business career, dispelling myths about pursuing a business career, and the many possibilities that exist within different fields.

RSVP for the C200 Reachout now

Panel topics include: 

  •  "Start your (own) engine: Is entrepreneurship right for you?" According to Fortune magazine, the Motor City is the new surprising face of female entrepreneurship. Young women in their 20s and 30s are fueling the city's revival. Successful C200 members share their stories about the high and low roads to entrepreneurial success. 

  • "The road less traveled"  Few American women have scaled the corporate ladder to the top: Statistics document the glacial gains of women as top management team members in Michigan companies and beyond. C200 members who have gone the distance share their stories and tips about doing it and how.

  • "Getting on board: Community service, volunteerism and public life"  Studies have shown that volunteering strengthens communities, is good for physical and emotional health and can help advance a career. C200 members talk about giving back while moving forward and the personal and professional merits of community service.

  • "Powering up!" C200 members provide career advice and tips about personal branding, networking and more. They also discuss career collisions and side-swipes how to avoid them if you can, and recover from them if you can't. Students learn about the upside of failure and the importance of personal resilience.

C200 Scholar Awards

C200 Scholar Awards are provided to outstanding women M.B.A. and graduate students who exemplify extraordinary leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to supporting other women. C200 Scholar Award recipients will receive both a financial gift and access to unique learning and networking opportunities. The winners will receive a monetary award in the amount of $10,000 toward their education related expenses. C200 will provide Scholar Award recipients with incomparable access to its Scholar Network and interaction with our members through networking and learning opportunities.

Expectations for award recipients

C200's hope is to support you throughout your career and track your progress as you grow into a business leader. The organization expects you to give forward and support other women in their careers, work with integrity and leadership and pursue excellence. As a Scholar Award recipient, you will be asked to:

  • Work with C200 to develop a profile for the C200 website to highlight your accomplishments and future goals
  • Participate in the C200 Scholar Network
  • Maintain contact with C200 and keep us informed about your career and accomplishments
  • Commit to supporting other women throughout your career

How to apply 

To apply, download and complete the application packet. Submit it via email to Kiantee Jones by Monday, March 13.

Completed applications must contain the following:

  • Typewritten, double-spaced, 500-word answer to essay question.
  • Brief responses (no more than 150 words) to three short answer questions.
  • One page, double-spaced recommendation from a former employer or a professor on the form included in the application packet. The recommendation must be submitted by March 13.
  • Resume

Award criteria

Scholar Award applicants will be evaluated based on application materials and demonstration of:

  • Leadership
  • Entrepreneurial spirit
  • Integrity
  • Commitment to giving back, particularly to supporting other women

Finalists will be selected for final-round consideration and will be asked to interview in person on Thursday, April 6. Recipients will be announced at the Reachout on Friday, April 7.