WLU WELD Collegiate ChapterBy: Katlyn Roberts West Liberty University hosts their first WELD Collegiate Chapter on the Hilltop and this chapter is the first collegiate chapter in W. Va. Taking place on March 10, 2021, the information launch event surrounding WELD took place explaining the chapter as Women for Economic and Leadership Development. The group is hoping to introduce the community, particularly career-minded women, to its mission, networking opportunities and unique leadership programs. WELD was founded in Columbus, Ohio in 2003 as a local organization. It has now grown into a national organization with chapters that offer leadership programs and events. Collegiate Chapters are a way for Members to get together on their campus and develop skills.

Collegiate Chapters on campus are a great way to develop valuable skills. WELD, a national, nonprofit, aims to develop and advance women’s leadership to help strengthen the economic prosperity of the communities it serves, said Barbara Smoot, president and chief executive officer of WELD. “We want to mobilize women to become active leaders in businesses, civic organizations and government by building programs, events and communities that support leadership development and business growth. WELD offers professional connections and high-impact leadership training to career women and
women business owners,” she said.

WELD is a membership-based organization that helps women build community connections in authentic and productive ways. The way it is operated is by local volunteers who are supported by the national affiliation. To help launch their first event, Upper Ohio Valley area women and community have been invited to the group.

In the communities they work in, WELD also donates scholarships through their Building Community Bridges program to women striving towards economic independence so that they can attend their programs. Their connections foster new careers and business building opportunities for our volunteers and help women find mentors and sponsors. WELD is a great place to start for women who are just embarking on their careers and are seeking learning opportunities. WELD has different types of memberships, including individual, business, and corporate. These members are to help you grow your professional and interpersonal skills. Even if you don’t want to get a membership, you can still contribute to the group. Through their website, weldusa.org, you can make a donation to help support the non-profit organization.

“We offer several different levels of donations that individuals or businesses can select from to enable women to attend our events and participate in our programs. Through our Building Community Bridges program, WELD partners with other local non-profit organizations focused on improving the lives of women and awards scholarships to the women that they serve or to the associates of those non-profit organizations,” according to the WELD website. For more information about WELD, please visit the weldusa.org website, or reach out to one of the faculty advisors of this chapter Sherry Rocchio, Tina Dewitt, and Ingrid Loy.