Women in Business, a WKU organization dedicated to promoting professional skills and making training more accessible, received a sponsorship with Adobe over winter break, a sponsorship given to only 85 campuses across the United States, including the University of California Berkley and Northwestern University.

The sponsorships are given to institutions and nonprofits globally to use their programs, including PhotoShop and Premiere Pro, to promote creative expression and social advocacy. Women in Business will receive the programs in exchange for spreading word about Adobe’s  Student Cloud.

Junior Kyla Scanlon founded Women in Business, formerly known as Women Economics, two years ago.

“It began when I saw a need on campus for professional networking opportunities and access to resources such as interview skills,” Scanlon said. “We have those resources, but they’re not always easily accessible to students.”

With the help from students such as sophomore Lexi Herman, vice president of technology for Women in Business, the club grew and received its RSO certification last semester, meaning it is a registered student organization. Herman says the growth is attributed to a rise in vision from the team.

“As the organization grew, we started to really find what we wanted it to be and our vision definitely got more precise,” Herman said. “We are constantly evolving and changing, but our end goal of creating an inclusive environment for young professionals will always stick with us.”

Aquesha Daniels, assistant professor of management in the Gordon Ford College of Business, serves as Women in Business’ adviser and has witnessed the growth and hard work within the program.

“Credit must be given to the students working diligently behind the scenes, the WIB executive board,” Daniels said. “They have worked hard to establish a name for themselves, which has paid off in an Adobe collaboration. The collaboration means WIB can support and provide a medium for members and other organizations to utilize Adobe Creative Cloud tools to enhance their own coursework and organizational missions, alike, in effective and creative ways.”

They will be hosting various workshops throughout the semester to acquaint students with the programs and will also work with local businesses such as Back Down South, a clothing boutique, and Raw, a new edible raw cookie dough shop opening in downtown Bowling Green in February.

There will also be a “Lean In” session on March 7 which will include a roundtable where they will discuss resume-building, interview techniques, and energy techniques. The idea of a “Lean In” is inspired by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, who emphasized the importance of outreach along with women in business.

Scanlon said the organization wants to expand its openness throughout the campus.

“We are called ‘Women in Business,’ but we are truly open to everyone, regardless of gender,” Scanlon said. “Anyone in the community can come to share their experiences and benefit from the professional sessions.”

While Women in Business deals with professional skills, Daniels said that “most of all, the students have gained an appreciation for their whole selves, which is an inward process developed through connecting with others who have been where they are going.”

Features reporter Noah Moore can be reached at 270-745-6291 and [email protected] Follow him on Twitter at @noah_moore18

Correction: The print version of this story misidentified Kyla Scanlon as a sophomore instead of a junior. The story also referred to “Premiere Pro” as “PremiereCut Pro.” The Herald regrets the errors.