South Suburban College Hosts Annual Women’s Conference and Expo

On March 20, South Suburban College hosted its annual Women’s Conference and Expo to celebrate Women’s History Month. The event, which returned last year following several years on hiatus, was met with great success as partners, vendors, and members of the public came together in celebration.

Gervaise Edwards, manager of continuing corporate and community education (c3) at South Suburban College, believes that this event is an ideal way to celebrate Women’s History Month.

“This has been going on for a long time, and it just grows more and more every year,” Edwards said. “It’s been happening since before my time here, and it’s always been a great way to celebrate women.”

Vendors in attendance were women-owned businesses, including fashion designers, restaurant owners, health and wellness coaches, and much more. Attendees were invited to chat with entrepreneurs and representatives and network with peers.

Breakaway events included empowerment lectures from female entrepreneurs, an interactive line-dancing session, and a fashion show showcasing the work of local designers.

“This is an ideal event for women to go to, learn, be empowered, and network,” said Kenneth Cohn, executive director of extension services and workforce development at South Suburban College. “I think there’s so much contribution from these women and so much they can share and learn from each other. This day is really all about recognizing women for everything they do.”

Project manager for the highway construction careers training program in the division of workplace development and extension services at South Suburban College, Rebecca Garcia, could not agree more. She knows how important it is for women to lift each other up and support one another not only emotionally and spiritually, but professionally as well.

“It’s a great time, but it’s also about camaraderie,” Garcia said. “There are opportunities to learn and support personal empowerment, finance, health, and even to see a fashion show.”

Every aspect of the event was supported by upbeat and uplifting music, coaches and speakers who encouraged women to find their power, and visual examples of how to succeed in lifting spirits. The line dancing event was full of joy and movement. The fashion show was all about celebrating beauty, both inside and out. The vendors were representing multiple facets of the corporate and small business world to invite women of all ages to consider whether starting a business might be right for them.

“After being on hiatus for about five years, we started back small,” Garcia said. “But now we’ve doubled last year, and by next year, we know we’ll be back to where we were. Come join us!”

For more information on South Suburban College, you can visit www.ssc.edu.