College women look for mentors
By Robin Doussard
Julie Harrelson, managing partner of technology consulting firm
Ruby Communications in Southeast Portland, wished she’d
had more mentoring when she was just starting out. That, and
her desire to share what she has learned from 25 years in the
business world, led her to join the board of NEW Leadership
Oregon earlier this year.
“There’s a lot of core knowledge in being an
entrepreneur that’s applicable in public service,”
Harrelson says. “I want to help women build not only
their leadership skills in the public and nonprofit world, but
also in business entrepreneurship.”
Harrelson’s inclusion on the NEW Leadership board is no
accident. As it enters its third year, the program is looking
to broaden its scope to include business mentors for its
attendees, according to Trish Hamilton, director of development
and external relations for Portland State University. Hamilton
is an ex-officio member of the board, and helps raise funds for
the program, which is housed in the Mark O. Hatfield School of
Government.
This year the program is trying to broaden the appeal to women
who are looking for leadership training — or mentoring
— in business, in addition to the political and nonprofit
realms. Hamilton says that along with that comes a call to
businesswomen throughout the state to contact the program and
learn more about becoming a mentor.
NEW (for National Education for Women’s) Leadership
Oregon was created in 2003 as a way to find, mentor and train
future women leaders. The program is
meant to connect past and current women office holders with
college women in order to educate and encourage them to become
politically active and take on leadership roles on their
campuses, and after they leave college.
Every summer, NEW Leadership hosts a six-day training program
at PSU to introduce 30-35 college women — of all ages
— to public leadership. Political leaders such as former
Gov. Barbara Roberts, Multnomah County Commissioner Serena Cruz
Walsh and state representative Carolyn Tomei currently sit on
the advisory board, in addition to such business leaders as
Carol Robinson of the Oregon Business Association, Lillian Tsai
of Tsai Communications and Harrelson.
“Basic mentorship for women just isn’t
happening now,” Harrelson says. “Women are just
thrown into things and are expected to just have to figure it
out.”
“The best thing this program does for women is that is
shows them the possibilities,” says Hamilton, adding that
the intersection of the political world and the business world
needs to be strengthened. “They really work
hand-in-hand,” she says.
This year’s program is set for June 22-27. For more
information on the program, contact Melody Rose, executive
director of NEW Leadership, at 503.725.3137. Any woman
enrolled in an Oregon college or university is eligible, and
there is an application fee. Deadline for application is April
14.
For more information, go to www.newleadershiporegon.org.
