When my friend first told me about PLEN's Women in Global Policy seminar, I was hesitant to apply because I never thought I would receive a scholarship for it. I thought to myself, “out of all the applicants, why would they choose me as a recipient?” With a little push from my friend and my advisor, I went ahead, and I applied for the PLEN scholarship. A few weeks passed and then I got the news that I got accepted! I was so humbly grateful for this because little did I know that PLEN would influence my life the way that it did.
The PLEN Women in Global Policy seminar truly was such an amazing experience. I was able to network with so many amazing and influential women around the globe. It was mesmerizing to learn about the very different backgrounds that each woman had in the seminar. The panelists were so influential and extremely helpful. Personally, for me, the resume review really helped me in terms of preparing me for job applications. I was given many helpful tips on how to improve my resume, which I would have never known how to do without the help that I received.
Furthermore, the workshop on salary negotiation with Shelby Olson was extremely helpful. As a woman of color, it can be intimidating doing something such as negotiating your salary with an employer. Olson’s presentation was extremely informative and really motivated me to not be scared to put a price on my worth. I had so many notes after that session, more than I ever had in college! All in all, I truly enjoyed her workshop.
Lastly, I want to mention that I highly recommend everyone that has the opportunity to apply to this program to do so. It is a decision that I do not regret. Still to this day, I stay connected with many of the women that I met through PLEN. It was beautiful and phenomenal being in a “room” with such strong and powerful women. I would do it all over again if I could.
Thank you PLEN and thank you to all the amazing women that made this seminar possible!
Fatima Dominguez attended the 2021 Women in Global Policy seminar. She is a rising Senior at Augustana College majoring in History and Political Science.