Workshop Empowers SIPA Women to Navigate Professional Spaces and Enhance Their ‘Elevator Pitch’

On November 21, a workshop hosted by SIPA Women in Leadership was held for SIPA female students focused on developing their professional presence. The event, “Presence & Pitch: Making a Strong Impression for Women in the Workplace,” which was hosted by the student association, in collaboration with Career Advancement Center (CAC), and Leadership Innovation, and Design (LID) Specialization, provided students with practical tools for navigating professional environments and perfecting their elevator pitches while staying true to themselves.

Paula King, senior director of career advancement, kicked the workshop off by defining workplace presence as “the ability to be present in the moment and show the best of yourself, both verbally and non-verbally.” Reflecting on the evolution of the workplace for women, King noted, “Those days of masking who we are gone. We embrace who we are, we feel confident in what we are.” 

“It’s so important to have spaces on this campus for women to come together and find solidarity and mentorship,” said Laila Shushtarian MIA ’25 and Christine McNeill MIA ’25, who co-organized the workshop. “[It allows us to] get some concrete skills and really walk away feeling both a sense of community as well as empowered to achieve goals in our career.”

The session emphasized “owning your expertise” by speaking up confidently, using assertive “I” statements, and maintaining a positive, diplomatic tone. Participants learned about establishing healthy work-life balance through setting reasonable boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and negotiating flexible arrangements when needed. A significant portion focused on leveraging cultural strengths, encouraging students to highlight their unique perspectives, build bridges across different cultures, and celebrate their cultural identities. The workshop also addressed managing attitudes and emotions in the workplace, teaching strategies for resilience, practicing gratitude, maintaining self-awareness, and staying calm in stressful situations.

The second segment was led by Jodi Caplan, director, EMPA and alumni career services, who provided a structured framework for crafting compelling elevator pitches, which should consist of three key parts: start with a motivational story that includes a personal identifier and core motivations, followed by supporting experiences that demonstrate relevant skills and knowledge, and conclude by “connecting the dots” with a high-level summary. 

The workshop emphasized moving beyond standard introductions to create meaningful connections, encouraging participants to share what truly motivates them and ending with a strong closing statement that ties their story to the opportunity at hand.

“The main takeaway was to surround yourself with people who are going to support you. The workshop today was very relevant,” said America de Flores Matute MIA ’26. “And sometimes they’re not necessarily things that you hadn’t thought about before, but you need to be reminded.”