Reimagining an annual conference program to create greater connection

BOSTON UNIVERSITY - WOMEN’S MBA ASSOCIATION

Business Need
The Women’s MBA Association was a professional network, but as President, my aim was to make it a community members could call home. Graduating students had few opportunities to stay involved, and limited programming in previous terms during the year made it difficult for the group to keep up a strong presence on campus.

The fifth anniversary of She Leads, the WMBAA’s annual conference and largest event, had a clear purpose: bring students, alumni, and professionals together for a meaningful and memorable day. A strong speaker lineup mattered, but the greater opportunity was to make attendees feel part of the conversation and leave with relationships they could carry beyond the event.

The Space Between

Conferences can put people in the same room without helping them connect. The previous conference format placed attendees in breakout rooms by educational track. While the sessions offered useful content, students, alumni, speakers, and outside professionals had fewer opportunities to join a shared conversation.

The challenge was to turn a room full of people into a community, while working around academic schedules and coordinating with campus and alumni partners to help the event fit the academic calendar and reach beyond the association’s existing members.

Working in System
For the 2026 She Leads Conference, the format was intentionally changed from industry track-based breakout rooms to speaker panels. This enabled the theme, “Reinvention Starts with Intention,” to shape the conversation topics which centered on leadership, confidence, boundaries, career pivots, and growth. The revamped programming was made possible through personal outreach and partnership with alumni relations council.

During the conference weekend, considerations were also made to the attendee experience. A private dinner gave speakers and the leadership team a chance to connect prior to the event. From a room layout perspective, chairs were rearranged from seated audience rows to banquet style seating with circular tables, improving connection opportunities. Additionally, well placed table reflection cards prompted reflection and culminated in a closing share-out session with merch prizes for participating attendees.

All together, these intentional choices made the program feel cohesive, personalized, and like one community.

Impact
The association delivered annual conferences for the last five years with increasing participation and success. The 2026 She Leads Conference welcomed approximately 100 attendees and secured more than $8,000 in sponsorship funding. The new format changed the feel of its biggest event: attendees could hear varied perspectives in the same room, reflect on their own experiences, and leave with new connections.