Carin Cardella

I received the UMBrella scholarship to attend the Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI) in 2020 but deferred for COVID-19 closures and cancellations. Over the past two years, we have all experienced enormous stress and change. Personally, my work with police and emergency management meant working long hours on-campus during the pandemic and rarely taking time away. I don’t often acknowledge it, but I’m exhausted. I know many others feel the same.

I was excited to learn I’d finally be able to attend WLI in December 2022. The Institute was unlike any conference I’ve ever attended. From the moment I walked in, I was welcomed and supported by hundreds of amazing, intelligent, vibrant women.

The conference focused on both professional and personal development. I didn’t realize how much I needed this time away to connect with women from across the country, learn attainable leadership strategies, and decompress. In other conferences I’ve attended, I felt like I’m constantly running between sessions while trying to keep up with work emails and network with other professionals. WLI offered built-in networking and group discussions. Attendees could provide real-time feedback about their experiences so everyone could contribute, rather than only the speakers. There was even reflection time set aside before lunch one day to go for a walk, journal, exercise, read, or talk with other attendees.

Some of my biggest take-aways from the conference were expressing gratitude and leading with heart. So often, the “soft skills” that are associated with women – compassion, empathy, emotional intelligence – are not seen as the skills needed to get ahead in the workplace. These are some of my best skills which I am proud to have. WLI reminded me that my future success is not despite these skills, but because of them. This focus of putting people first, serving others, and staying in one’s purpose closely aligns with UMB’s core values.

I already have a robust group-text group with some of the amazing women I met at WLI, and I look forward to putting these leadership lessons into practice. I encourage everyone to apply for WLI – it was an amazing experience like no other.