UA Students at U.N. to Support Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Two STEM Path To The MBA students are at the United Nations in New York City today representing The University of Alabama, the Culverhouse College of Commerce and the College of Engineering at the inaugural Women’s Entrepreneurship Day.

Today is Women’s Entrepreneurship Day in New York City, and UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce sponsored Rachel Ramey, a junior in civil engineering, and Melissa Jenkins, a senior in computer science, to attend the conference.

The conference signals the launch of a movement to empower, celebrate and support women entrepreneurs worldwide. The lead sponsor of the event, PWC, is a corporate partner with UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce.

“Culverhouse is actively engaged in innovation, entrepreneurship and mentoring, so this was the perfect event to send two of the best and brightest students who exemplify these traits,” said Dr. J. Michael Hardin, dean of the Culverhouse College of Commerce.

Ramey is leading STEM Path to the MBA efforts to conduct a study-abroad trip to India next summer to work on a reverse innovation project in a remote area of India. She is also one of the leaders of the Culverhouse STEM Business Consulting Group, working to help a nonprofit in Pakistan build schools and factories for women.

Ramey also participated in the Breast Cancer Startup Challenge last year and has participated in Crimson Startup. Ramey is from Dayton, Ohio.

An officer in UA’s chapter of the Association for Computer Machinery, Jenkins helped start Innovators Anonymous on campus, and she initiated and helped lead Culverhouse efforts to bring the Startup Weekend event to campus. Jenkins is planning a 2015 internship in Dallas. She is from Kingsport, Tennessee.

“These are terrific young women, and it’s been my pleasure to have a chance to work with them,” said Dr. Rob Morgan, who leads the STEM Path to the MBA program. “Rachael has a passion for nonprofits and working on women’s issues, and Melissa is really involved in entrepreneurship and anything to do with creating new business ideas,” added Morgan.

This inaugural event is in partnership with the U.S. Department of State to celebrate women innovators and entrepreneurs who bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.

Fortune 500 companies and several female company founders, CEO’s, creatives, college students and business leaders are at the conference for “one day to celebrate, support and empower women entrepreneurs worldwide.”

On Dec. 3, the organization behind the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day will also launch the #WomenWOW social media campaign to encourage everyone to support women-owned businesses and causes that will inspire millions just as Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday.

The STEM Path to the MBA is a cutting-edge approach begun at The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce, College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences in 2011 to connect the math and sciences to business. The program focuses on attracting high-achieving undergraduate students who will major in the science, technology, engineering and math discipline while allowing students to earn their undergraduate degree in four years and an MBA with one additional year of study.