Business Leaders, Inc., the student leadership group at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, held their end of the year awards ceremony earlier this week. The awards ranged from student of the year to peer mentor of the year to the student organization of the year, which was awarded to Women in Business (WIB).

I am proud to have been a part of the journey of the Women in Business group over the past 7 years. I began as the advisor to what at the time was an MBA-only organization, was highly involved during the expansion into the undergraduate program world, and currently act as a sponsor for the now school-wide entity. Over the years, this group has been responsible for changing curriculum, connecting students of all genders, conducting philanthropic work in the community, raising awareness for the importance of and the challenges with respect to gender equity, and more.

The women in this picture are leaders in their own right and, no doubt, will make a large impact wherever their careers and lives take them. In fact, Madalin (pictured; bottom right) was also named as Graduating Student of the Year and Student of the Year.

Student organizations can have the connotation of being just a fun “club” for students to pass the time when they aren’t in the classroom — an important part of the college experience. However, these WIB leaders have shattered that image and sought to make a lasting difference in the lives of students, staff, and faculty at the Eccles School. Mission. Accomplished.