In advance of International Women’s Day this Friday, a Brock University student group is hosting an event dedicated to recognizing and celebrating inspirational female business leaders in Canada.

Taking place Wednesday, March 6, the Brock Women in the Business (WIB) student club presents The Rise, an event that will see prominent female business leaders share their experiences with Brock students.

“The event is about celebrating women in business,” said WIB President Sorcha Killian. “The reason we named it ‘The Rise’ is to signify women rising through the ranks and coming up and taking leadership positions they’ve earned.”

The event aims to create a safe space to educate people about how gender affects the workplace and how that knowledge can be used in a positive way.

“It’s about inspiring a generation that’s just coming into the workforce,” Killian said.

The two-part event will include workshops from noon to 1 p.m., during which students will interact in small groups with the speakers. A panel discussion will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. in Goodman School of Business Atrium and interested students can register online through Eventbrite.

The event’s speakers include:

•      Mishka Balsom, CEO and President of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
•      Tayler Book, Owner of Beechwood Doughnuts
•      Meghan Chayka, Co-founder of Stathletes
•      Brittney Furtado, Creative Director and Owner of Inspire Event Rentals and Design
•      Tanya MacDonald, Senior Account Manager at RBC
•      Robin Ridesic, CEO and Co-founder of Exchange Brewery
•      Dayna Stephenson, Project Director at Up Cannabis
•      Madeline Woodhead, Partner at Forrest Woodhead Wealth Management with National Wealth Management

Other Brock events related to International Women’s Day include:

Tuesday, March 5

Tampon Tuesday: Members of the Brock community are invited to celebrate International Women’s Day by learning about women living in poverty. Tampon Tuesday events will be taking place Tuesday, March 5 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Cat’s Kitchen and Bar in Niagara Falls, Jack Astor’s Bar and Grill in St. Catharines and Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse in Welland.

Brock representatives will be bringing the menstrual hygiene products collected from the University’s three-week-long drive to the St. Catharines event. Last-minute donations of pads and tampons can be dropped off directly at one of the Tampon Tuesday event locations on Tuesday, March 5.

Wednesday, March 6

COSC Female Get Together: In honour of International Women’s Day, Senior Lab Demonstrator and Co-ordinator Poling Bork is hosting a Computer Science Female Get Together.

Held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in TH 247, the event will bring together female faculty and staff with female students with a major or minor in Computer Science. The event is meant to help build connections in a field often dominated by men. To RSVP for the event, email pbork@brocku.ca

Friday, March 8

Women in Sustainability: A panel discussion centred on sustainability will be held on campus in celebration of International Women’s Day.

Women leaders in sustainability will share their experiences and provide insight into the field for interested members of the Brock community.

The discussion will be held in TH 253 from 10 a.m. to noon, with a light lunch to follow.

The interactive event is co-hosted by the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) through the Brock University Charter Agreement with Facilities Management.

A full list of panelists is available online.

Due to limited seating, individuals are asked to RSVP for the event on ExperienceBU. For anyone unable to attend, the event will livestreamed online.

Vivek Shraya and the Queer Songbook Orchestra performance: As part of International Women’s Day, in conjunction with Brock Pride Week, Polaris Music Prize nominee Vivek Shraya will perform with 12-piece chamber pop ensemble the Queer Songbook Orchestra (QSO).

The concert will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in downtown St. Catharines.

Tickets are $20 each, or $13 for students, and can be purchased through the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre website. To prevent cost from being a barrier, free tickets are also available by contacting Brock Human Rights and Equity Advisor Michelle Poirier at mpoirier@brocku.ca

The event is sponsored by Women’s and Gender Studies, Brock’s Human Rights and Equity Office and Women’s Campus Safety Grant. More information is available on the event’s Facebook page.

If you know of any additional International Women’s Day events happening at Brock, please send details to universitycom@brocku.ca